Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon will have two gold-plated crosses on top of the tower.

After the restoration is completed, Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral will have two gold-plated crosses installed on two spires - which many people consider the soul of the church.

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral lights up with 500 km of LED lights for Christmas

Although Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (commonly known as Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral) is under renovation, it still shines brightly with 500 km of LED lights at night, attracting thousands of people and tourists to visit. After 7 years since the start of construction, the major renovation project of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is only halfway through. According to the plan, the project will be completed by the end of 2027 if there is enough funding; if there is not enough funding, it will have to stop.

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral lights up at night with 500 km of decorative LED lights

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Church with 2 gold-plated crosses

Ms. Ngo Thi Phuong Thanh, Director of Eurohaus Haustechnik Company, after finding the reference book about Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, the Head of the Restoration Board ordered 2 lilies made according to the original design in the reference book. In reality, in recent years, the lilies have not been seen anymore.

According to the design, two lilies will be the decoration for the base of the two crosses on top of the spires. Priest Ignatius Ho Van Xuan, Head of the Restoration Committee of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, shared that the two spires are the soul of the church, so the restoration process is costly, the priest still tries to choose the best one to be able to maintain it for hundreds of years for future generations.

The gold-plated lilies used to decorate the two crosses arrived at the church in 2024. The two gold-plated crosses will also be transferred after the production period. The two old crosses will be kept at the Archdiocese's exhibition house.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH/Archbishop of Saigon

Priest Ho Van Xuan recounted that on the day the Cross was removed from the top of the spire, many people shed tears and he was no exception. "The Cross was placed on top of the church when we were not yet born in 1895, but after more than 100 years we had the opportunity to touch the Cross and take it down. At first we planned to take the Cross outside for major restoration, but then, following many opinions of the dignitaries, I presented it to His Excellency and decided to leave the Cross in the museum and the traditional memorial house. We will place a new Cross on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon," said the Head of the Notre Dame Cathedral Restoration Committee.

To protect the Cross from time and harsh weather conditions at high altitudes, Father Ho Van Xuan decided to place two gold-plated Crosses and two gold-plated lilies to match.

Father Ho Van Xuan, despite being at retirement age, still devotes himself day and night to the major renovation project of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral. He said he will do his best not only for the parishioners, but also because he is a citizen of this city.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

According to the priest, gold is the best material compared to any other. In Vietnam, gold-plated crosses are still strange, but in Europe, many crosses of Notre Dame Cathedral are gold-plated.

"I think that when we finish renovating the two bell towers, especially the two zinc towers that hold the Cross on the roof, this lily as a support will increase the beauty and solemnity of the Cross that we respect," said priest Ho Van Xuan.

"The restoration project of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral will have to stop if it runs out of money"

Recently, when Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened Mass after a period of restoration, many people compared it with Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon. Although the major restoration project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027 if there is enough money, but the later items will take more time and money, Father Ho Van Xuan said that this project will have to stop if there is no more money.

Halfway through the project, the remaining items of the renovation project take more time, effort and money.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

The priest said: "When Notre Dame Cathedral burned down, it was a symbol of the capital Paris (France) and recognized by UNESCO , but they were rich, and when they restored it, many countries in the world contributed to the restoration. As for the major restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon, the Archbishopric was self-funded with the help of the parishioners of this city and some parishioners living abroad, mainly parishioners in this city."

Although the people in the city have been very kind and contributed to the restoration process over the past time, Father Ho Van Xuan also frankly admitted that the two years of Covid-19 and the war in the world have increased the price of materials, and the cost has increased a lot because most of the materials are imported from abroad. In addition, each screw must be ordered and produced specifically for Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, not mass-produced goods.

Priest Ho Van Xuan said that the church is decorated with 500 km of bright LED lights like a European palace, like a "warning" that when the renovation is completed, this will be a tourist attraction in the city.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nha-tho-duc-ba-sai-gon-se-co-2-thanh-gia-ma-vang-tren-dinh-thap-185241215140148814.htm