La Vang holy site has long been a famous tourist destination in Quang Tri. La Vang is one of the most important pilgrimage sites not only for Catholics but also for non-Catholics and international tourists.
Quang Tri belongs to the central strip of the country and is home to many attractions worth visiting that not everyone knows about. This place has a peaceful landscape with sincere, rustic people and historical memories still imprinted. Traveling to Quang Tri, you will not only rest and visit but above all, you will learn and understand many things, full of valuable life experiences that not all destinations bring to you. If you have the opportunity to visit Quang Tri, remember and learn about the Holy Land of La Vang and listen to the legend of the Holy Mother Mary.
Where is the holy place of La Vang
(Photo: @manguyen)
La Vang Holy Land is located in the old area called Dinh Cat (during the reign of Lord Nguyen Hoang in the south of the sixteenth century, this area is called Dinh Cat, ie Dinh built on a sandy land sometimes called Cat Dinh). Today, it belongs to Hai Phu commune, Hai Lang district, Quang Tri province. This place is about 6km south of Quang Tri Ancient City and 60km north of Hue city. La Vang Holy Land is the national Holy Mother center of the Vietnamese Catholic Church.
Road to La Vang Holy Land
(Photo: @ _20th.december)
From Hanoi, City. Ho Chi Minh City or some other place that wants to go to La Vang Holy Land – Pilgrimage Center of the Vietnamese Catholic Church , is very simple. There are many different ways and means. It is possible to take train, North – South car, motorbike …
(Photo: @ phtu.99)
If you take a North-South car (National Highway 1A), then to Quang Tri Town – Quang Tri Province, you stop at Cau Trang, then take a motorbike taxi or taxi to La Vang Holy Land (4km away).
(Photo: @voductrien)
If you take the train, you can get off at Dong Ha Station then take a motorbike taxi or taxi to La Vang Holy Land (16km away) or at Hue station 57km away from La Vang. Stop at Hue station, you can rent a car to visit Hue ancient capital, then pilgrimage to Mother La Vang.
If riding a motorbike, in Hai Phu commune, on the left hand side there are 2 entrances about 5km apart, one place has a signboard saying “La Vang 4km”, and the other has a signboard saying “La Vang Holy Land 2km. “Is a fairly wide old road that brings pilgrims into the sanctuary.
Origin of the name “La Vang”
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Derived from La Vang , there are 2 legends. The first hypothesis is “shouting”, which describes the cry for help when the beast comes. Those who go to the forest if they stay overnight, they often share to keep watch. If they see a movement, they will “shout” for everyone to come to help. Or the voices of the parishioners shouting when something needs to be said loudly because there are many trees in this area, in small words, they cannot hear each other and it is difficult to see each other.
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Another theory is the word “tabloid”, written without sign of La Vang. When the parishioners ran to this land together, the epidemic was plagued. At that time, Our Lady appeared and showed them to find a leaf called a leaf – drinking it would cure the disease. This is a kind of cooking leaf that is very healthy, so today many people pick or buy it.
The legend of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the holy place of La Vang
(Photo: @mytonnu)
It can be said that La Vang Holy Land is a land full of love of Our Lady when he appeared to God’s people in 1798 under King Canh Thinh (son of King Quang Trung).
(Photo: @hoang_kim_thanh)
According to the Archbishop’s Document of Hue – 1998, during the reign of King Canh Thinh (ascended the throne in 1792), with the decree on August 17, 1798, a number of believers near Dinh Cat hill (now town Quang Tri commune) must find a hiding place. They took refuge in the mountains and forests of La Vang. In the sacred forest of poisonous water, the situation is poor, lack of food, sickness, fear of military officers, fear of wild animals, believers can only trust one trust in God and Mary. They often gather under the banyan tree, pray together, comfort and help each other.
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One day when everyone was praying the rosary together, they suddenly saw a beautiful woman, dressed in a long robe, holding a baby in her arms, with two angels holding a lamp on either side. They immediately recognized it as the Virgin Mary. Our Lady showed kindness, affection, and comfort to the laity so that they could please endure. My mother taught them to pick a leaf of plants available around it, and cook with water to heal their diseases. Again, Our Lady promised: “I accepted your cry. From now on, whoever comes to plead with her in this place, I will accept and bless them. “
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Our Lady appeared in La Vang on the grass near the old banyan tree where parishioners were praying. The parishioners who were present there saw this miracle. After that, she appeared many times like that to support and comfort her children in the tribulation during the hundred years of persecution. Thanks to the promise of her blessings, from the day Our Lady appeared in La Vang up to now, so many people have come here to ask for grace and respect.
What is the Holy Land of La Vang
(Photo: @ ttbminh_1810)
La Vang Holy Land, also known as ” The Emirate of La Vang Basilica “, has undergone many events in history and time. Until today, La Vang Holy Land seems to radiate all its ancient beauty under a corner of Hai Lang – Quang Tri. The architecture of the church here follows the traditional architecture of Catholic church constructions.
(Photo: @dhpreal)
(Photo: @dhpreal)
However, the mossy color of the church has dotted the distinctive character, making it easy to think of historical paths for the first time, not only the holy place but also a period of time. full of events, now drifted into the past. In the center of the Sanctuary, today remains the bell tower ruins of the Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang . This work was built from 1924 – 1929, overhauled in 1959. In the summer of 1972, the Basilica was destroyed due to war.
(Photo: @dhpreal)
In the supposed location where Our Lady appeared near the old banyan tree, a monumental monument was built with the image of three banyan trees and Our Lady of La Vang in the center. And the Statue of Our Lady of La Vang is also placed in many places in the Sanctuary. Our Lady is often shown with the image of a woman in Vietnamese ao dai holding a baby in traditional Vietnamese clothes.
(Photo: @thoquach_)
(Photo: @thoquach_)
In front of the bell tower relic of the Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang is a large square. The two sides of the square are the Way of the Cross – a series of 14 sculptures depicting the progression of Jesus’ passion, from his condemnation to his crucifixion and finally his burial. crypt. In addition, on the grounds of the Holy Land, there is also a well of Our Lady of La Vang, where every believer comes here to take a sip of water to pay homage to Our Lady. Many believers believe that well water has the ability to cure diseases in the body.
Pilgrimage festival at La Vang holy site
The pilgrimage festival of Our Lady at the holy place of La Vang
The Congress of Our Lady of La Vang takes place every 3 years at La Vang Holy Land . The 31st Congress is the newest one on August 13,14,15, 2017. According to the historical length, the first Congress of Our Lady of La Vang was held in 1901. Regarding the date of the organization, There are differences, but also in August. Since the 23rd (1993), there is the La Vang Congress every 3 years on August 13, 14, and 15, with many important ceremonies and with the attended by many bishops, priests, religious and hundreds of thousands of parishioners poured in from inside and outside the country.
The pilgrimage festival of Our Lady at the holy place of La Vang
During the three days of the Congress, there are usually many forms of activities of some associations, with thematic discussions, with a very solemn Marian palanquin with many parts of God’s people in attendance. It can be said that the procession of Our Lady is a very special ritual to honor Our Lady of La Vang during the Congress.
The pilgrimage festival of Our Lady at the holy place of La Vang
Next, there was a night of well-invested prayer and Eucharistic adoration night with her. The most solemn Mass of the three-day Conference is the solemn celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother on the morning of August 15. This is also the closing Mass for the Conference.
If you have the opportunity to visit Quang Tri, remember to visit La Vang Holy Land, which is considered one of the important pilgrimage places not only for Catholics but also for non-Catholics and tourists. international.