Eastern Orthodoxy in Vietnam

Our Lady of Kazan icon

Eastern Orthodoxy in Vietnam is represented by a parish of the Russian Orthodox Church in Vung Tau, where there are many Russian-speaking employees of the Russian-Vietnamese joint venture "Vietsovpetro".

The parish is named after the icon of Our Lady of Kazan and was opened in 2002 with the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, which had been given in Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra.

Russian Orthodox Church in Vietnam

The Chairman of Russian Orthodox Church's Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill (since 2009 Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus) was the first Russian Orthodox hierarch to visit Vietnam in November 2001. Headed by Kirill the delegation had meetings with the Russian speaking community and Vietnamese officials, and held church services in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau (about 600 people were present)^[1]

Since that time representatives of Russian Orthodox Church from time to time come to Vung Tau to conduct the Eastern Orthodox divine service.^[2]

In 2007, the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church organized Easter divine services in Vung Tau, General Consulate of Russia in Ho Chi Minh City and the Russian Center of science and culture in Hanoi.^[3]

In April, 2010, the delegation of the foreign relations department of the Russian Orthodox Church organized and conducted regular Easter services in Our Lady of Kazan icon parish in Vungtau.^[4]

Other Eastern Orthodox Churches

Vietnam is also mentioned as territory under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople), though there is no information on its organized activities there.

References