Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles at the beginning of Christmas, attracting visitors to check-in

In early December, Notre Dame Cathedral (Saigon ward) was brightly lit with LED lights, attracting a large number of people and tourists to check in and experience the early Christmas atmosphere in the center of Ho Chi Minh City.

In the days before Christmas, Notre Dame Cathedral (Saigon ward) became the center of attention in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City when it put on a brilliant appearance.

This year, the church is decorated with more than 1,000 LED lights, twice as many as last Christmas season. The dense lighting system covers the entire facade, creating a sparkling effect that stands out in the middle of the city.

In addition, a series of motifs such as bells, stars, and pine trees are added, making the scene more vivid and outstanding.

Father Ho Van Xuan, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the decorative lighting system will be turned on from 6:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day and is expected to be dismantled on January 5, 2026. "2025 is the Holy Year of the Universal Catholic Church, so the decoration at the Church is invested in more elaborately than in previous Christmas seasons," the priest said.

A constant stream of people came to admire. Some young people even compared the scene here to Paris. Phan Trung Hieu and Le Nguyen Khanh Ngan said this was the second time they had returned to the church to visit.

Many people passing by were also curious, stopping their cars on the side of the road to check in.

Mr. Pham Tan Phat's family (Binh Tri Dong ward) also took the opportunity to record the last moments of the year with their children. He said that when he saw the pictures of the decorated church in newspapers and social networking sites, he immediately invited his family to go for a walk and take souvenir photos.

Foreign tourists staying nearby also stopped when they saw the church lit up. One person shared that he wanted to preserve special moments during his vacation in Vietnam.

Mr. Khuu Quang Sang (Binh Loi Trung ward) brought his little dog here. "I want to keep memories with my 'boss'", he said, adjusting his pet's collar before posing.

In front of hundreds of bright lights, the marble statue of Our Lady of Peace in front of the church stands out even more.

Notre Dame Cathedral is a symbol of the Catholic community and also one of the typical architectural works of Ho Chi Minh City, attracting a large number of international tourists every year. The project was started in 1877 according to the design of architect J. Bourard and was awarded the title of Minor Basilica by the Vatican in 1959.

The cathedral is 60.5m high, with the zinc tower and bell tower accounting for more than half of its height. After more than 130 years of use, the building is still fenced off for restoration.

The restoration project, which began in 2017, includes many complex items, requires large funding, and is expected to be completed in 2027.

' Food paradise' around Hanoi Cathedral, attracting visitors from morning to night Hanoi Cathedral is an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists. Not only has a long history, ancient and unique architecture, the neighborhood around the church is also considered a "food paradise" attracting those who love the capital.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nha-tho-duc-ba-lung-linh-dau-mua-giang-sinh-hut-khach-den-check-in-2469488.html