Churches and chapels are decorated with lights and flowers. Parishioners attend masses and join choirs to rehearse for Christmas Eve. Priests are busy with masses the whole day. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Việt Nam and the Vietnam Committee for Catholic Solidarity (VCCS) sent Christmas greetings to parishes and followers. People wish each other a merry Christmas and exchange messages of love.

A festival of happiness

Parishioners in dioceses have abided by the law and concentrated on improving their lives. With the mottos of “respecting Jesus and patriotism” and “living the gospel of life in the midst of the nation”, parishioners have actively gotten involved in social humanitarian activities, building a cultured lifestyle in residential areas, developing new rural areas, and practicing a household economy. Their living standards have been improved and many families have become better-off. The parishioners are welcoming a new Christmas season with more happiness and pride because they have contributed remarkably to the patriotic emulation movement initiated by the Vietnam Fatherland Front to reinforce national unity.

Christmas of love

Several days prior to Christmas leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels visited and congratulated Christian dignitaries and parishioners.

Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Le Ba Trinh paid a Christmas visit to Bui Chu diocese in Nam Dinh province and wished the dignitaries and followers a merry Christmas. He confirmed that Catholicism is a component of national great unity.

Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Vu Trong Kim visited the Protestant Church of Vietnam in the northern region and wished all Protestant dignitaries and followers a joyful Christmas. In Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh city, Soc Trang, and Ben Tre, administrative leaders and representatives of  social organizations visited local Catholic dignitaries and followers.

Christmas has become a festival of both religious and non-religious people. Vietnamese Catholics go to church to pray while non-Catholics can go to church to congratulate and share their sentiments with their Catholic friends.

Religious freedom

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs Pham Dung repeated the Party and Vietnamese government policies of respecting and ensuring freedom of religion and belief for all citizens. The right is defined in the Constitution, and laws on belief and religion.

Vietnam has several religions over the years. Vietnam now has 14 religions, 38 religious organizations, 24 million religious followers, 78,000 dignitaries, and over 23,000 places of worship. Religious activities are freely practiced. The government has created favorable conditions for people to practice their beliefs and religions and religious dignitaries and followers live good secular and religious lives, contributing to national unity and defense.