VIETNAM: Signaling a greater tolerance by the nation's government for religious practices, Catholics in four remote northern Vietnam parishes celebrated Holy Week and Easter liturgies for the first time in 40 years. Joseph Tran Thai Phong, head of the Vinh Quang parish council, said thousands of Catholics from three neighboring parishes flocked to his parish for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses.
The 50-year-old lay leader said April 20 that many ...