Inauguration of Lang Van Parish Church - the largest church in Vietnam

On December 8, Lang Van Parish (Gia Van Commune, Ninh Binh Province) held the inauguration ceremony of Lang Van Parish Church after 10 years of construction, marking an important milestone in the religious life of thousands of local parishioners.

Lang Van Parish Church, formerly in Gia Lap commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh, and now in Gia Van commune, Ninh Binh province.

Lang Van Parish was established in 1885 with the title of Immaculate Virgin Mary, belonging to Phat Diem Diocese.

After more than a century of formation and development, Lang Van has become one of the largest Catholic communities in the Northern Delta region.

The old church of the parish was built in 1933 with ancient architecture and a capacity of about 1,000 seats. However, over time, the number of parishioners increased, the old space gradually became narrow, unable to meet the needs of religious activities, especially on important occasions.

From that reality, the parishioners here have wished to build a new church to meet the needs of worship and perform rituals in the mass.

On January 14, 2015, Lang Van Parish held a mass to bless the foundation and lay the first stone to build the church.

After a decade of continuous construction, the project was completed and inaugurated to the joy of all parishioners.

After completion, Lang Van Parish Church was considered the largest church in Vietnam with a length of 108m and a width of 43m.

From above, the church is designed in the shape of a cross with a total floor area of 4,000 square meters and is built on a campus area of 14,200 square meters.

The sanctuary space can accommodate up to 5,000 people, accommodating special mass celebrations.

In particular, the basement can accommodate an additional 800 people, serving as a community living area and can also be used as a shelter in necessary situations.

From afar, the building stands out with its main bell tower 127m high and two side towers 60m high. Here are placed 3 bells weighing nearly half a ton to nearly 2 tons, when ringing, they can resonate up to 5km away, creating a unique mark for the parish.

Architecturally, the church has a typical Gothic style with soaring ceilings and pointed arches, creating a sense of elegance and sacredness, different from Roman architecture using round arches.

The interior is elaborately and meticulously crafted, with many delicately carved details, a harmony between traditional art and Western architectural spirit.

The inauguration ceremony of the church not only brought joy to the parishioners of Lang Van, but also contributed to enriching the appearance of religious architecture and spiritual tourism of Ninh Binh province.

In particular, the inauguration of the Church before Christmas 2025 is a multiplied joy for a large number of parishioners./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/khanh-thanh-nha-tho-giao-xu-lang-van-nha-tho-lon-nhat-viet-nam-post1081827.vnp