The Heritage of Catholic Village Regulations in the Red River Delta: Characteristics and Values

Abstract

Catholic village regulation is an remarkable product of Catholic culture’s integration to Vietnamese villages. Formed on the basis of Vietnamese village regulations, Catholic village regulations bear in them Vietnamese village element and religious element, thus carrying spectacular features, including political – religious institution and Catholic ceremonies. With the role to manage villages, maintain moral and cultural traditions in social life of the community, Catholic village regulations sketched out vigorous picture of various yet secret physical and spiritual life of the Catholics, and at the same time transmitted historical, ethical, cultural and social value throughout each period of Vietnam’s history. That is the value of Catholic village regulation herigate in the Red River Delta we would like to introduce in this study.