Last week the City of Carthage had the honor of hosting thousands upon thousands of Vietnamese families to our beautiful community for Marian Days. Marian Days is a festival and a pilgrimage for Vietnamese American Roman Catholics. This festival has been celebrated since 1978 on a 28-acre campus of the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer.
Vietnam went through prolonged warfare in the 20th Century. In 1975 upon the North Vietnamese victory, Vietnam reunified as a unitary socialist state under the Communist Party of Vietnam. This led to 185 clergy leaving Vietnam just before the Fall of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam and arriving in the U.S.
The celebration is one of freedom and faith. It is awe inspiring to watch the dedication, ingenuity, and love this tent city releases into our atmosphere each August. Next year, they will be celebrating the 50th year of pilgrimage.
Stay tuned, as we continue to tell the story of this unique festival and take a behind the scenes look at how this 28-acre campus turns into a beautiful tent city.