Christians across predominantly Buddhist Vietnam are marking their most hallowed, with Church services beginning at midnight on December 24 and running through to December 25, the day recognised by all Christian faiths as marking the birth more than 2,000 years ago of Jesus Christ, the purported son of God, around whom the Christian religion grew.
Church services held in HCM City
Thousands of Christians in HCM City gathered at the city Notre-Dame Cathedral at midnight to pray for the new year, and to express their love for family and friends, a key tenet of the Christian faith.
Celebrating Christmas in front of HCM City Notre-Dame Cathedral
In Hanoi, a ritual ceremony dedicated to Jesus Christ was held at Ham Long Church and was attended by thousands of people. The church looked vibrant, hung with lights and festive decorations.
Thousands people gathered at Ham Long Church
Christians in Thanh Hoa Province endured a cold night so they could say prayers at midnight Mass.
Christmas in Thanh Hoa
Giant lantern decorates the night
People in Thanh Hoa Province pray on Christmas Eve
Prayers were also held in Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces. Many children were dressed in the white trimmed red suit of Santa Claus, a mythic figure believed to be based on Saint Nicholas, who lived in what is now western Turkey more than a thousand years ago and gave gifts of food and clothing to orphaned and poor children at this time of the year. The modern image of Santa Claus, a jolly bearded man in a red suit, was created by retailers to exploit the growth of consumerism in the United States.
Christians in Nam Dinh attend church services
"Christmas Eve is when people can gather and share their joys and sorrows and best wishes for a happy new year," said an attendee at Hue Cathedral, as thousands waited, despite the cold, for the Church to begin tolling its bells to mark the advent of the holiest day in the Christian calendar.
It is a matter of record that Jesus did not want a religion built around him, but insisted he was merely a messenger from God to the Jews, trying to teach the people of the world the importance of kindness, love and charity. History also records many bloody wars fought between the Christian faith and those of Islam and any other religion that did not abide by Christian faith.
Crowded in front of Phat Diem Cathedral
The dominant western calendar counts from the purported birth of Christ, 2,014 years ago, although modern historians have tried to amend that "BCE" (before the common era), and "CE" (common era), as opposed to the traditional "BC" (before Christ) and "AD" (Latin for after Christ).
Christianity came to Vietnam in the 16th century and gained a secure footing under French colonial rule, which tried to expand Roman Catholicism among the mostly Buddhist population, with many Catholics moving to the south of the country after French rule ended in 1954, fearing retribution from the communist government established after independence.