The Vietnamese Madonna of La Vang in the Vatican Gardens

Just days after the death of Pope Francis and during the conclave that elected Leo XIV, a statue of the Virgin Mary — who appeared in support of persecuted Vietnamese Catholics — was placed just a short distance from the Dome of St Peter’s. The Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City said: “May she intercede for the Pope and for all our communities around the world.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews/Agencies) – As highlighted just a few days ago, although no Vietnamese cardinal took part in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, the local Church nevertheless took part with great devotion in this deeply special moment that the Catholic Church has experienced in recent weeks — bidding farewell to Pope Francis and choosing a new pontiff. And while in Hanoi the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s "reunification" was being commemorated, a deeply meaningful gesture took place in Rome for the Vietnamese Catholic community: a statue of Our Lady of La Vang, who is deeply venerated in Vietnam, was installed in the Vatican Gardens.

On 29 April, Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang of Ho Chi Minh City, President of the Vietnamese Bishops' Conference, solemnly blessed the image. Also present at the ceremony was Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, former President of the Governorate of Vatican City State and former President of the Commission for Vatican City State, who played a key role in making the statue’s installation possible. Joining him were several Vietnamese bishops who had travelled to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, held three days earlier: Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of Hanoi, Bishop Joseph Do Manh Hung of Phan Thiet, Bishop Emmanuel Nguyen Hong Son of Ba Ria, Bishop Luy Nguyen Anh Tuan of Ha Tinh, and Bishop Peter Kieu Cong Tung of Phat Diem.

The Vatican Gardens feature many images of the Virgin Mary from around the world, created in a variety of artistic styles. One of the most recent is the Korean Madonna. The statue of Our Lady of La Vang is the second such image of the Virgin to be added, following the one donated by the United States.

During the ceremony, Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang said: “Through the presence of this statue of Our Lady of La Vang, we trust that the Virgin will protect the Holy Father and all who pass by. We believe that Our Lady will intercede here for all the communities of the Vietnamese Church, wherever they may be.”

For some time, the Vietnamese Church had wished to place a statue of Our Lady of La Vang in the Vatican Gardens as a sign of the communion between their local Church and the universal Church. The statue is carved from white marble sourced from Quy Hop, Nghe An; it stands 1.6 metres tall and is mounted on a 60-centimetre-high pedestal. It was sculpted by Giuseppe Tran Van Giang, an artist from Da Nang.

According to tradition, the Virgin Mary first appeared at La Vang in 1798, when the persecution of Vietnamese Catholics began. Many Catholics near the city of Quang Tri fled and sought refuge in the forest of La Vang, where they faced hunger, thirst, and illness due to the cold climate, poisonous water, and wild animals. The faithful had only God and the Virgin Mary to turn to. They would often gather under an ancient banyan tree to pray, recite the Rosary, and comfort and support one another. One day, as they prayed the Rosary together, they saw a beautiful woman wearing a long cloak, holding a child in her arms, flanked by two angels holding lamps. They recognised her as the Virgin Mary.

Our Lady appeared loving, merciful, and comforting, urging the faithful to remain joyful and patient. She taught them to collect a particular type of leaf found in the area, to boil it in water and drink it as a remedy for their illnesses. The Virgin promised: “I have heard your prayers. From now on, to anyone who comes here to pray, I shall grant graces.” From that moment on, the Virgin Mary appeared many more times to support and console her children during the century-long persecution.

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