While visiting Cardinal Pham Minh Man, Archbishop of the Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese on December 24, he wished the Cardinal, bishops, monks and Catholic followers a Merry Christmas.

He also extended yuletide greetings to Bishop Nguyen Van Nhon, president of the Vietnam Episcopal Council, on this occasion.

Mr Trong briefed the dignitaries on the country’s steady growth despite the global economic and financial turmoil and said he hopes to see Christians and other religious followers as well as non-religious Vietnamese promote national unity and facilitate national development.

The Cardinal thanked the Party, State and government for providing due care and assistance to Catholics in the recent past. He recalled a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and State President Nguyen Minh Triet during the latter’s December 2009 visit to the Vatican and expressed his hope that both sides would soon establish official relations.

The same day, Mr Trong visited the Vietnam Protestant Church (Southern Region) where he extended Xmas greetings to Pastor Thai Phuoc Truong, head of the church, missionaries and Protestants. He asked Protestants to work closely with other Vietnamese people to make a significant contribution to the nation.  

Pastor Thai Phuoc Truong thanked local administrations for creating favourable conditions for Protestant groups to celebrate Christmas 2009 and said he looks forward to the church receiving more assistance from the Party, State and government in future.