As we understand it, the Vietnamese are not very religious people. The overwhelming majority of the population practices the so-called "ancestor cult," which does not have the clear system and organization that we are accustomed to as necessary attributes of any religion. It is rather a set of moral traditions and rituals passed down from generation to generation.
But Christians also live in Vietnam; they make up about 8% of the country's total population, approximately 300000 people. And they have their own churches, one of the most remarkable among them being St. Joseph's Cathedral, built on the ruins of the Bao Thien Tower by colonizers in 1886.
Externally, the church looks very much like Notre-Dame Cathedral; apparently, the French decided not to be overly inventive, but to remain faithful to the classics. The gloomy Neo-Gothic style seems to transport us straight from Asia to Paris.
The cathedral's interior is quite bright; after all, Asians' love of colorfulness and liveliness has had its effect. Here you will see beautiful stained-glass windows, and on the back side of the church, unique bas-reliefs with biblical scenes.
In the cathedral courtyard there are comfortable benches where local residents, regardless of faith, relax, socialize, and read newspapers.
