From 7 a.m., thousands of priests, bishops, nuns, and faithful from Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring dioceses gathered at the pastoral center of Saint Joseph Saigon major seminary, located at 6 Ton Duc Thang Street, to attend the funeral mass for cardinal Gioan Baotixita Pham Minh Man.

Cardinal Pham Minh Man passed away on 22/3 at the age of 92, after battling illness. He was one of six Vietnamese prelates elevated to cardinal, the highest rank in the Roman Catholic Church, second only to the Pope.

Around 7 a.m., the cardinal's casket was brought out and placed reverently on a platform in the courtyard. The casket of cardinal Pham Minh Man passed by the statue of Saint John Paul II.

The funeral mass was presided over by archbishop Giuse Nguyen Nang.

According to the funeral organizing committee, over 500 priests and bishops concelebrated the mass. Dressed in purple vestments, the concelebrating priests prayed for the late cardinal. In Catholic liturgy, purple and black are the primary colors for funeral rites.

Everyone prayed in silence before the burial. Occasionally, the choir sang hymns, allowing everyone to pray and unite in communion.

Archbishop Marek Zalewski, resident representative of the Vatican to Vietnam, shared at the ceremony. "Today we gather here in sorrow, yet with souls full of hope, as we remember and commend the soul of cardinal Gioan Baotixita Pham Minh Man," said archbishop Marek Zalewski.

Many priests and nuns prayed and celebrated the mass.

The faithful sang and prayed for the late cardinal. Maria Mai Van, a member of Mau Tam parish, arrived early to attend the funeral mass. She recalled that when she studied at the pastoral center, she often saw the cardinal walking in the courtyard. "Every time I met him, I would run to greet him and receive his gentle smile," she said.

The grounds of Saint Joseph Saigon major seminary were packed with people attending the funeral mass for cardinal Pham Minh Man.

Thanh Tung - Quynh Tran