Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng wrote to the pontiff inviting him to visit the country. The announcement was made by the government's Committee for Religious Affairs during the president’s pre-Christmas visit to the Archdiocese of Huế, where the shrine of La Vang is located. Vietnamese Catholics have been waiting for this for a long time.
On the eve of the Assembly that opens in Rome and where two of its own bishops will also be present, the Catholic Church in Vietnam sent a message to the faithful indicating the theme of enhancing the mission of the laity in 2024.