Located about 30 kilometers east of Pleiku City, Angleh Parish (Kon Tum Diocese), in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, stands out as a beacon of faith in a mission area still marked by many challenges. The parish extends across ten villages inhabited by the Bahnar people, an indigenous ethnic minority. Each village has a small, simple chapel. At present, the community is under the pastoral care of four SSS priests of the Province of Vietnamese Martyrs.

In early April, as the Church enters Holy Week - the high point of the liturgical year - the local people also face the peak of the dry season, with temperatures sometimes reaching 38°C. Amid coffee fields parched for water, daily life revolves around irrigation work. Although participating in the liturgy during this demanding farming season is never easy, the faithful of Angleh set aside their hardships and arrange their work in order to celebrate the Paschal Mystery: the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

At 6:00 p.m. on Holy Thursday, the parish priest, Fr. Lawrence Lê Công Trần Phát, SSS, together with a visiting priest, Fr. Joseph Phạm Quang Vĩnh, SSS, celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the parish church. In his homily, the visiting priest emphasized the spirit of service, inviting the faithful to imitate Christ in humble service to one another. The image of Christ washing the feet of His disciples was reenacted as the parish priest washed the feet of twelve representatives from the villages.

This was followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the procession of the Blessed Sacrament to a side altar, with periods of adoration organized by different groups. Although the celebration was long and many were physically tired, the faithful remained with Jesus. This expressed not only their sorrow at the Lord’s Passion, but also a deep and enduring faith.

Good Friday was marked by a more solemn and subdued atmosphere. The sound of bells and daily activities gave way to silence. Inside the church, the altar stood bare, without its usual white cloth; statues and images were veiled in purple. This setting led the faithful into deeper communion with the Lord’s Passion. In the afternoon, a large number of parishioners gathered for the outdoor Stations of the Cross and the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. At the end of the liturgy, weighed down by the memory of Christ’s death, the faithful came forward to venerate the crucifix with reverence and love.

The Easter Vigil began with the blessing of the new fire. The light of the Paschal candle, though small, illuminated sun-darkened faces and brought forth a quiet joy on this most holy night. The lengthy liturgy was celebrated with great devotion. After the Mass, the faithful exchanged Easter greetings of “Alleluia” along with handshakes of communion and fellowship.

This joy continued into the daytime Mass of Easter Sunday. On this solemn occasion, the sound of gongs resounded once more after forty days of silence - a distinctive cultural expression of the Bahnar people. The gong is not merely a musical instrument but the soul and spiritual “voice” deeply connected to both the material and spiritual life of the community. For this reason, the celebration of Easter would be incomplete without this cultural element.

The Paschal Triduum is a journey from sorrow to joy, from the Cross to the Resurrection. Sorrow helps people recognize their own weakness, while joy opens the way to hope in salvation. Celebrating the Triduum in Angleh Parish in particular, and in the mission territories of the Central Highlands in general, offers a glimpse of how the seeds of faith continue to grow quietly. This journey is not only a series of liturgical rites but a living expression of faith in everyday life. In simplicity, sincerity, and perseverance, the beauty of faith shines all the more brightly, becoming a sign of hope in a land still facing many hardships.

In the context of the pastoral year with the theme, “Every Christian a Missionary Disciple,” Angleh Parish is called to live the faith more concretely. Despite poverty and various external challenges, each Christian here has the opportunity to become a witness to the Eucharist - the real presence of the Risen Christ - through a life of love, unity, and sharing with those around them.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is risen.

18.04.2026

Brother Anthony Nguyễn Ngọc Hoàng, sss