Mằng Lăng Church

Mằng Lăng Church
Nhà thờ Mằng Lăng
Mằng Lăng Church
Mằng Lăng Church
13°20′03″N 109°13′33″E / 13.33417°N 109.22593°E / 13.33417; 109.22593
LocationAn Thạch, Tuy An District, Phú Yên Province, Vietnam
CountryVietnam
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusActive

Mang Lang Church (Vietnamese: Nhà thờ Mằng Lăng; French: Église de Mằng Lăng) is a Roman Catholic church in Vietnam, Phú Yên Province, 35 km from Tuy Hòa.

The church was built in 1892 by French missionary Father Joseph Lacassagne in gothic style. This place was the native village of blessed Andrew of Phu Yen beheaded in 1644. It is now an important shrine, as Andrew was declared Patron of the youth.

Alexander de Rhodes wrote here his Cathechismus in octo dies in Latin and Vietnamese (Quốc ngữ) and printed it in 1651.

History

The site's historical roots trace to the 15th century during the Lê dynasty, with border establishments in Phú Yên documented in 1475.[1] Early Christian influences emerged in the 17th century, including the baptism of Princess Ngọc Liên (Maria Mađalêna) in 1636, who established a chapel in the area.[2] Missionary Alexandre de Rhodes composed his catechism, Phép giảng tám ngày (Cathechismus in octo dies), at this location, which was printed in Rome in 1651, marking the first use of quốc ngữ in print.[3]

The current structure was built in 1892 under the direction of French missionary Father Joseph de La Cassagne (known locally as Cố Xuân), the first parish priest.[4] It lies approximately 35 km north of Tuy Hòa city, near the Kỳ Lộ River.[5] The church is part of the Mằng Lăng parish within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quy Nhơn.[6]

Architecture

Spanning over 5,000 square meters, the church exemplifies Gothic architecture with ornate patterns and a simple grayish-green exterior that harmonizes with the surrounding landscape.[7] It features two bell towers flanking a central cross.[8] The courtyard includes a man-made hill with an underground bunker containing stone carvings depicting the life of Blessed Andrew of Phú Yên.[9] The name "Mằng Lăng" derives from a local tree species once prevalent in the area.[10]

Significance

Mằng Lăng Church is the birthplace of Blessed Andrew of Phú Yên, martyred in 1644 and declared the patron saint of Vietnamese Catholic youth in 2000.[11] It functions as a pilgrimage center for youth and hosts commemorative masses.[12] The preserved copy of Phép giảng tám ngày is displayed in a glass case within the bunker, recognized as a national record for the oldest quốc ngữ book in Vietnam.[13] The site attracts tourists for its historical and architectural value.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Nhà thờ Mằng Lăng" (in Vietnamese). Wikipedia tiếng Việt. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  2. ^ "Những nhân vật đầu tiên trong tiến trình chữ quốc ngữ - Kỳ 4" (in Vietnamese). Tuổi Trẻ Online. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  3. ^ "Ghé nhà thờ trăm tuổi nơi giữ sách quốc ngữ đầu tiên ở Phú Yên" (in Vietnamese). Dân Việt. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  4. ^ "Bí mật trong khu hầm của nhà thờ Mằng Lăng" (in Vietnamese). Lao Động. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Kiến trúc độc đáo của nhà thờ từ Bắc vào Nam" (in Vietnamese). VnExpress. 23 December 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Nhà thờ Mằng Lăng" (in Vietnamese). Wikipedia tiếng Việt. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Nhà thờ cổ nhất Việt Nam có gì đặc biệt?" (in Vietnamese). Dân Trí. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Nhà thờ Mằng Lăng - dấu tích kiến trúc Gothic cổ xưa" (in Vietnamese). Lao Động. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Thăm nhà thờ Mằng Lăng cổ kính ở Phú Yên" (in Vietnamese). Dân Việt. 7 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Nhà thờ Mằng Lăng" (in Vietnamese). Wikipedia tiếng Việt. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  11. ^ "Miền di sản của vùng đất 'hoa vàng trên cỏ xanh'" (in Vietnamese). Tuổi Trẻ Online. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  12. ^ "Mằng Lăng - nhà thờ trăm tuổi ở xứ Nẫu" (in Vietnamese). Dân Trí. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  13. ^ "17 kỷ lục Việt Nam được trao cho khu vực Nam Trung Bộ" (in Vietnamese). Tuổi Trẻ Online. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  14. ^ "8 cảnh đẹp xứ 'hoa vàng cỏ xanh' làm nức lòng du khách" (in Vietnamese). VnExpress. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  • Media related to Mằng Lăng Church at Wikimedia Commons
  • History and photographs of the church


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