Marian Days

Marian Days

First weekend of August

In 1975 the Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix, a Vietnamese religious order, established a new campus in Carthage, Mo. The order's priests and brothers were among tens of thousands of Vietnamese citizens who came to the United States to escape the turmoil of the Vietnam War (1959–1975). Many Vietnamese Catholics believed their safe passage to America was the result of the Virgin Mary's intervention. Marian Days, which the small town of Carthage has hosted since 1977, is a time for Vietnamese Catholics to honor the Mother of Jesus and recognize the protection she offered to refugees.
Despite its small size, Carthage somehow manages to handle the influx of more than 70,000 visitors for the summer celebration. Attendees come from all over the country; some stay in nearby hotels, and others camp on the grounds of the Catholic order's 28-acre campus or in residents' backyards. A festival area is arranged before the weekend for church groups to erect food tents and various displays.
The weekend's events, which include daily Masses, penance ceremonies, benedictions, and religious lectures, lead up to the Saturday celebration, which consists of a parade for the Virgin Mary as well as a fireworks and balloon ceremony. The weekend closes with a final mass that is recited in Vietnamese and translated into English.

CONTACTS:
Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix
1900 Grand Ave.
Carthage, MO 64836
417-358-7787
www.dongcong.org

Celebration days:
2011: Aug 6; Aug 7
2012: Aug 4; Aug 5
2013: Aug 3; Aug 4
2014: Aug 2; Aug 3
2015: Aug 1; Aug 2