Hanoi, Jan. 16, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Government authorities in Vietnam have warned Catholic activists to stop public prayer vigils outside the former offices of the apostolic nuncio in Hanoi.
Police in Hanoi have charged that the prayer vigils, which began in mid-December, are "illegal activities" that "have disturbed public order." The protests have "spread distortions" about the government, officials added, warning that they would take action to stop the vigils.
The prayer vigils began after Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi told his congregation that the offices of the papal nuncio had been seized illegally by the government in 1959. He asked the congregation to pray for the return of the building. On December 18, a rally-- the first public demonstration by Catholics since the communists came to power in 1954-- drew thousands Catholics to the street. Prayer vigils have continued regularly since that day. On December 30, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited the site, observing the prayer vigil himself.
The public protests escalated on January 10 when about 1,000 people participated in a demonstration that blocked traffic in Hanoi for several hours. That protest followed a Mass to celebrate the 89th birthday of the retired Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung.
Police in Hanoi have charged that the prayer vigils, which began in mid-December, are "illegal activities" that "have disturbed public order." The protests have "spread distortions" about the government, officials added, warning that they would take action to stop the vigils.
The prayer vigils began after Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi told his congregation that the offices of the papal nuncio had been seized illegally by the government in 1959. He asked the congregation to pray for the return of the building. On December 18, a rally-- the first public demonstration by Catholics since the communists came to power in 1954-- drew thousands Catholics to the street. Prayer vigils have continued regularly since that day. On December 30, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visited the site, observing the prayer vigil himself.
The public protests escalated on January 10 when about 1,000 people participated in a demonstration that blocked traffic in Hanoi for several hours. That protest followed a Mass to celebrate the 89th birthday of the retired Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Dinh Tung.