Cathedral of Christ the King, Nha Trang

Constructed by the French colonial government in 1923, the Cathedral of Christ the King is the mother church of the Diocese of Nha Trang.

As we approached the cathedral, we walked past a long walkway flanked by statues depicting the Stations of the Cross. Every church and cathedral that we've visited in Vietnam has been so beautiful and unique. Catholicism is a big part of the Vietnamese identity, especially as we get further and further south. Some of the churches have been very Asian, and others distinctly European-style. Christ the King was especially European. It was built long ago to serve the regions large Christian population, and is still a very important cathedral for a large diocese in central Vietnam.

In a small grotto just outside the doors of the cathedral lies the tomb of a Vietnamese cardinal, a former Bishop of Nha Trang. A spiral of incense burned slowly in front of the tomb, sending up a slow curl of thick fragrant smoke.

It was late morning when we arrived, and already very hot. The sun beat down from the clear blue sky, and we were glad for the cool, dark interior of the beautiful old stone cathedral.

There was something going on when we arrived! It was a weekday, but there were many people sitting on the pews inside the cathedral. We took a seat near the back, and watched as a group of schoolkids were led inside. The priest gave each of  them a blessing, and taught a short sermon (in Vietnamese). I guess these kids must be students at the cathedral school, and this may have been their chapel time! It was really interesting to see some daily life at the cathedral.