A beatification mass for Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep took place at Tac Say Church in Phong Thanh commune in the southernmost province of Ca Mau on July 2.
Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Section for First Evangelisation and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelisation and Special Envoy of Pope Leo XIV, presided over the ceremony and read the Apostolic Letter in which the Pope formally declared Truong Buu Diep blessed.
A newly unveiled portrait of Blessed Truong Buu Diep was then carried in procession and displayed before a crowd of tens of thousands of followers.
According to the Diocese of Can Tho, the beatification marks a historic milestone, making Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep among the first Catholics blessed on Vietnamese soil, at the very site tied to his pastoral life and martyrdom.
Truong Buu Diep was born on January 1, 1897, in Con Phuoc parish, now part of An Giang province, and was ordained in 1924. Appointed priest of Tac Say parish in 1930, he spent 16 years there earning the respect of Catholics and non-Catholics alike through a simple lifestyle, dedicated pastoral service, and steadfast charity towards the poor, regardless of their faith.
On November 25, 2024, Pope Francis authorised a decree recognising Truong Buu Diep's martyrdom, clearing the path for his beatification.
Over the decades, the burial and reburial site of Truong Buu Diep at Tac Say Church has become one of Vietnam’s best-known Catholic pilgrimage destinations, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism estimated that about 70,000 pilgrims and visitors attended the event.
Paying a courtesy call to Ca Mau provincial leaders, Tagle highly appreciated the attention, support, and coordination between the local authorities and the Catholic Church in organising the event, which contributed to ensuring that the ceremony was solemn, safe, and complete.
Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai noted that the celebration coincides with the first anniversary of the merger of former Ca Mau and Bac Lieu provinces into the new Ca Mau province, now home to around 2.6 million people, including about 55,000 Catholics.
He affirmed a commitment to religious freedom and pledged to improve living standards for the local Catholic community.
