October 18, 2018, marked a proud and deeply moving historical milestone for the Vietnamese Catholic community worldwide. For the very first time, the beloved statue of Our Lady of La Vang was officially established in the Holy Land. We invite you to join Alpha Travel in looking back at the emotional moments of the Inauguration and Blessing Mass on the hill of Kiryat Ye’arim – where our Blessed Mother stands with open arms, welcoming her pilgrim children from all over the world.
At 9:00 AM on October 18, 2018, Archbishop Giuse Nguyen Chi Linh of the Archdiocese of Hue, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, celebrated the Inauguration and Blessing Mass of the Our Lady of La Vang statue. The statue is solemnly placed within the grounds of the Church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant on the hill of Kiryat Ye’arim, Israel.
Concelebrating the Mass were Bishop Micae Hoang Duc Oanh, former Bishop of Kontum, and over 100 priests from around the globe. The atmosphere was deeply spiritual, with the attendance of more than 50 nuns and nearly 600 pilgrims. Before the Mass, Father Gioan Tran Cong Nghi, Director of Vietcatholic, recounted the remarkable journey and expressed gratitude to all the benefactors who helped make the dream of bringing the statue to the Holy Land a reality.
In his homily, Archbishop Giuse expressed immense joy that the statue of Our Lady of La Vang is now present in the Lord’s land. He emphasized the profound significance of its high-hill location: From now on, Our Lady can look down upon her children from all over the world, watching over every pilgrim group that overcomes hardships to visit her. She will always be there to intercede, support, and grant peace to the Church, the nation, and the Vietnamese people.
The Mass continued with the solemn blessing rite of the statue and a fervent Liturgy of the Eucharist. A spirit of thanksgiving filled the gathered congregation, as well as those afar turning their hearts toward Israel. Concluding the Mass, Archbishop Giuse bestowed his blessing upon everyone. The pilgrim groups then gathered to take priceless commemorative photos at the feet of Our Lady of La Vang in the Holy Land.
