In communist Vietnam, faithful commemorate a pope they never saw
HANOI - Vietnam's Catholic community, one of the largest in Asia, has given an emotional and sombre farewell to Pope John Paul II tinged with sadness that the pontiff was never able to visit the country. The millions of Catholics in the neighbouring communist-run states of Vietnam and China represent one of the largest Catholic communities never to have received a visit by the globe-trotting late pope.
Dressed mostly in black and wearing white headbands, which in Vietnam denotes reverence for a dead parent, several thousand mourners packed St Joseph's Cathedral in the heart of Hanoi late Monday. Most people attending the service said they knew little about the pope, only that he was the leader of their community. After the service, the Reverend Joseph Dang Duc Ngan, secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Vietnam, said the country's eight million Catholics had desperately hoped the pope would visit.
"The Catholics of Vietnam are very, very unhappy. We had expected him to visit Vietnam. But now that is ...", he left the sentence dangling before finally adding: "We hope the next pope will visit Vietnam." "He was a great pope, he was successful in expanding the Catholic community to poor countries," said Ngan, during the service. Significantly, he said, "the pope condemned dictatorship, lack of human rights and labour exploitation."
Vietnam's communist party has always been wary of the potential of religious groups -- both Christian and Buddhist -- to undermine its hold on power and the country remains on the US State Department list of the world's worst offenders on religious freedoms. The Vatican and Vietnam do not have formal relations, but a detente of sorts began in the late 1990s as Hanoi relaxed its hold on civil society. Over the past six to seven years there was often talk of a possible visit by the pope to Vietnam, and while the visit never came off there is genuine optimism that the Vatican and Hanoi are inching towards formal ties. The communist party government still does not allow direct appointments of bishops by the pope and it keeps the Catholic community under close scrutiny.
Before his death, the pope's face was rarely shown on television or in newspapers. The faithful were able to see what he looked like at the cathedral where his portrait adorned the top of the entrance with black borders against a purple cloth background. Inside, another portrait stood prominently to one side as church leaders sat or stood in front of an imposing golden altar.
"How can I know who he is? Only officials know about him," said Vu Thi Phan, a 70-year-old woman. "I only know that he's the pope, nothing more," intoned another woman, Do Thi Huong, 26. But Ta Van Tuan, a 21-year-old student had an explanation about this ignorance. "I am a student so I have more chance to know about him. Those Catholics who are farmers or non-intellectuals don't know much about the pope's life and work."
In front of the imposing but weather-beaten cathedral which stands amid a warren of art galleries, tourist boutiques and elegant cafes, a large yellow and white flag topped with a stream of black flew in a sign of mourning. Scores of people watched the service on a giant screen to the left of the cathedral.
Agence France Presse - April 4, 2005
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