Huyen Si Church

A Gothic church over a century old in central Saigon, named after Mr. Huyen Si, who donated the land to build it

On Ton That Tung Street, Huyen Si Church, also known as Cho Dui Church, is the century-old place of worship of Cho Dui parish. Inaugurated in 1905, it has one of the most spacious interiors in Saigon. The church's name is linked to Mr. Le Phat Dat, a wealthy major landowner granted an honorary district-chief title, which is why locals called him Mr. Huyen Si; he was a Catholic known for his generous contributions to the Church. He donated the land and one-seventh of his fortune to build the church; the design was by Father Boutier, who had also designed Thu Duc Church. The church's patron saint is Saint Philip, who was also Mr. Huyen Si's patron saint. The church is Gothic in style, with pointed lancet windows and doors. It is 40 m long and divided into four bays, each 18 m wide. The facade and interior columns are clad in Bien Hoa granite; at the centre stands a marble statue of Saint Philip holding the Resurrection Cross, along with many stained-glass windows depicting saints. The bell tower is 57 m high including the cross and Gallic rooster, and houses four bells cast in France in 1905. In the side bay near the front of the church are the ancient tombs of Mr. and Mrs. Huyen Si: two carved monolithic stone tombs, each topped with a stone effigy – he wears a traditional turban and brocade ao dai; she wears a brocade robe with hands folded across her chest – placed according to the custom of men on the left and women on the right. To the left of the church is a Lourdes Grotto built in 1960. In 2017, the church was added to the City's inventory of relics. Weekday Masses are at 5:00, 15:00 and 17:30 (with an additional Mass at 19:30 on Saturdays); Sunday Masses are at 5:00, 6:30, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, 16:30, 18:00 and 19:30. Visitors should dress modestly and keep quiet, especially during Mass.

English text: machine translation from the Localis platform — proper names kept in Vietnamese.