Marian Days
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Marian Days (Vietnamese: Đại Hội Thánh Mẫu, officially Ngày Thánh Mẫu) is the main festival and pilgrimage for Vietnamese American Roman Catholics, celebrated since 1978 on the 28-acre campus of the Congregation of the Mother Coredemptrix in Carthage, Missouri. Vietnamese Americans from many parts of the United States, as well as non-Vietnamese locals and some visitors from Vietnam, attend the event.
The celebration is held during the summer in honor of the Virgin Mary and is highlighted by a large, outdoor Mass each day. The Marian Days offer opportunities for Reconciliation and prayer. Mass is presided by many priests and religious.
Pilgrims turn the surrounding area into a large campground, as many nearby residents allow pilgrims to erect tents on their lawns. Although the celebrations are centered around liturgy, they also feature a number of other events. Dioceses with large Vietnamese populations set up large tents to sell traditional Vietnamese food. Other organizations, such as the Knights of Columbus, also serve food to pilgrims in tents. Each night, singers entertain the large crowds with both folk and popular Vietnamese music.
At the end of the festivities, two long firecrackers are lit, followed by a large release of blue and white balloons tied to two flags. The flags fly off into the distance; addresses are written on them, so that whoever finds the flags can return them.
The 29th Marian Days celebration, held from August 3 to August 6, 2006, was attended by approximately 70,000 visitors, and the 30th celebration will take place from August 2 to August 5, 2007. [1]
