Our Lady of La Vang
Our Lady of La Vang (Đức Mẹ La Vang) is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary honoured as the principal patroness of the Catholic Church in Vietnam and of the Archdiocese of Huế. The 1798 Marian apparition to persecuted Catholics sheltering in the rainforest, distinguished by its message of consolation and the healing eucalyptus tree, has been venerated since 1800 at the Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam.
| Our Lady of La Vang | |
| Feast Day | August 15 |
|---|---|
| Country | Vietnam |
| Patronage | Catholic Church in Vietnam; Archdiocese of Huế |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang Hải Phú, Quảng Trị Province |
| Shrine Coordinates | 16.7672, 107.1883 |
| Origin / Discovery | August 1798 |
| Proclaimed Patron | August 15, 1961 (Vietnam); April 13, 1998 (Archdiocese of Huế) |
| Canonical Coronation | August 15, 2025 (planned) |
| Image Type | Apparition-based devotion (no original image) |
| Height | |
| Attributes | Appeared standing on clouds, holding the Child Jesus, flanked by angels; healing eucalyptus tree |
| Associated Countries | |
History
Origin of the image
In August 1798, during the brutal persecution under Emperor Cảnh Thịnh, Catholics from Quảng Trị fled to the rainforest of La Vang. While praying the Rosary one night beneath an ancient eucalyptus tree, they beheld the Blessed Virgin clothed in a long cape, holding the Child Jesus, and flanked by two angels. She comforted them, promised her protection, and instructed them to boil leaves from the surrounding trees for medicine. This account was transmitted orally for generations and first written down in 1802–1805 by Bishop Pierre Lambert de la Motte’s successors.
Arrival or foundational miracle
The apparition itself is regarded as the foundational miracle: the Virgin’s appearance provided consolation and protection to the persecuted community. Many were healed of illnesses by drinking the decoction of leaves from the trees she indicated, a practice that continues today.
Early veneration and first shrine
The faithful built a simple thatched chapel at the site in 1800. Despite repeated destruction during 19th-century persecutions and the Vietnam War (the chapel was bombed in 1972), devotion persisted. The current basilica was begun in 2002 and consecrated on August 15, 2012.
Role in national history
Pope John Paul II formally recognised the events of La Vang on June 19, 1998. The Vietnamese bishops proclaimed Our Lady of La Vang principal patroness of Vietnam on August 15, 1961. She became a powerful symbol of faith under persecution, especially during the communist era and among the diaspora after 1975.
Description of the image
Physical characteristics
There is no original image from 1798; devotion is apparition-based. Modern representations depict the Virgin in traditional Vietnamese áo dài or a long flowing cape, standing on clouds, holding the Child Jesus.
Iconography and style
The most common depiction shows Our Lady of La Vang in a white áo dài with a blue mantle, crowned, standing on clouds above the eucalyptus tree, with the Child Jesus in her arms and angels at her sides. The style blends Vietnamese cultural elements with classical Marian iconography.
Canonical coronation and crown(s)
Pope Francis granted canonical coronation of a representative statue on October 18, 2024; the solemn coronation is scheduled for August 15, 2025.
Distinctive or symbolic features
The healing eucalyptus tree (now replaced by descendants) and the Virgin’s appearance in Vietnamese dress are instantly recognisable. She is affectionately called “Mẹ La Vang” (Mother La Vang).
Current dressing and presentation
A large representative statue is enthroned in the basilica’s open-air sanctuary. During major feasts, it is richly vested in traditional Vietnamese garments.
Shrines and pilgrimage
Principal shrine
The site of the 1798 apparition is now the Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang, consecrated in 2012 and the national Marian shrine of Vietnam.
Other notable shrines
- Vietnamese Martyrs Shrine, Arlington, USA – major diaspora centre
- Our Lady of La Vang Parish, Sydney and many others worldwide
Pilgrimage tradition
The largest pilgrimage occurs every three years around August 15 (most recent: 2022; next: 2025), attracting 500,000–1 million faithful. Daily and annual visits are also common, especially from Vietnamese diaspora returning home.
Patronage and proclamations
National patronage
The Vietnamese bishops proclaimed Our Lady of La Vang principal patroness of the Catholic Church in Vietnam on August 15, 1961. Pope John Paul II confirmed the devotion on June 19, 1998.
Canonical coronation
Canonical coronation of a representative statue granted by Pope Francis on October 18, 2024; ceremony scheduled for August 15, 2025.
Miracles and reported graces
Foundational miracle
The 1798 apparition to persecuted Catholics in the La Vang rainforest, accompanied by healings through the eucalyptus-leaf remedy (oral tradition recorded 1802–1805).
Historically attested favours
- 19th century – repeated protection of Catholics during persecutions
- 1885 – survival of the community during the anti-Catholic massacres
Notable modern graces
- Thousands of healings reported at the healing tree site and spring
- Consolation and conversions among Vietnamese refugees and diaspora
Feast day
Principal feast
The feast of Our Lady of La Vang is celebrated on August 15 (Solemnity of the Assumption), chosen because the apparition occurred during the Assumption novena.
National celebrations
Major national pilgrimage every three years with all-night vigils, Masses in Vietnamese and local languages, and processions. Vietnamese communities worldwide celebrate simultaneously.
Devotion and cultural impact
Symbols in national life
Known simply as “Đức Mẹ La Vang,” she is the most beloved Marian title among Vietnamese Catholics and a symbol of fidelity amid persecution.
Role in crises and reconciliation
During centuries of persecution and the Vietnam War, devotion sustained the faith. She remains a unifying figure for Vietnamese Catholics on the mainland and in diaspora.
Prayer
O Virgin of La Vang,
Mother of consolation,
you who appeared in the rainforest
to your persecuted children,
comfort us in our trials,
heal our wounds,
and lead us to your Son.
Amen.
— Official prayer of the Vietnamese Bishops’ Conference