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GV People in Catholic church (3 shots)
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SCU Procession in church.
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SV Altar
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SV Bishops praying at altar.
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SV Archbishop Ho Thu Nam announcing nomination of new bishop.
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SV cap being put on
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SV Pan singing
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SV St. Maria statue
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GV Ceremony continues
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SV People watch.
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TV PAN FROM people in church to altar.
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Initials CO.13.37 WLW/PN/CO/14.27



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Background: The consecration of a new Roman Catholic bishop -- a rare ceremony in North Vietnam -- took place in Hanoi on March 12. The event is a rare one because there are only four bishops and one archbishop in North Vietnam and, as is common in most Christian churches, they hold office for life. VISNEWS was there to cover the ceremony.

SYNOPSIS: More than 2,000 Roman Catholics attended the consecration of a new bishop at a recent ceremony in Hanoi, North Vietnam. The ceremony was a rare one, as there are only four bishops and one archbishop in the country, and their offices are held for life. The new bishop, Ho Thu Nam, was nominated by the Vatican to fill the post left by the late Bishop Trang Hieu Doc, who died recently.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in North Vietnam, Archbishop Hoe, announced the nomination of Bishop Nam at the consecration ceremony before he initiated him in the traditional Catholic manner.

There are more than three million Roman Catholics out of a total population of sixteen million people in North Vietnam, and several hundred churches are spread throughout the country. Unlike some Communist countries, freedom of religion is mentioned in the North Vietnamese constitution, and the Government has guaranteed freedom of all religious activities in the country.

The Vatican sent a cable of condolence to Archbishop Hoe upon the death of Bishop Doc, who was well known for his relief work in North Vietnam.