President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Do Van Chien (third right) visits the Hanoi Archdiocese on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas and New Year. (Photo: Minh Duc/ VNA)

At the Hanoi Archdiocese, Chien wished Archbishop Giuse Vu Van Thien, Catholic dignitaries and followers a merry Christmas.

According to Chien, Catholic followers have actively participated in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the VFF as well as taken part in hunger eradication and poverty reduction in localities, contributing to the country's socio-economic development and stability. They have also actively implemented humanitarian, medical, and educational activities, benefiting vulnerable groups in society, he added.

He said he hopes that Archbishop Thien will continue to motivate and encourage Vietnamese Catholic followers and the Archdiocese to unite and uphold good cultural and moral values of Catholicism and the nation, actively accompanying the construction and development of the country.

For his part, Thien pledged that the Catholic community in general and the Archdiocese in particular to continue accompanying the nation and further promote their strengths to contribute to national development and construction.

During the visit to Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North), the President of  VFF Central Committee appreciated the Church's contributions, together with the entire Party, the army and the people, to successfully performing the task of socio-economic development.