History of Our Lady of TàPao Pilgrimage Sanctuary
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF
OUR LADY OF TÀPAO PILGRIMAGE SANCTUARY (1959–2024)
Our Lady of TàPao Sanctuary is located in Hamlet 2, Đồng Kho Commune, Tánh Linh District, Bình Thuận Province, approximately 100 km from the Bishop’s House of Phan Thiết. Here, the sacred statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands halfway up TàPao Mountain at an altitude of about 200 meters above sea level. Resting against the mountain cliff, the statue faces the winding La Ngà River, which brings fertile alluvium and refreshing water to the vast Đồng Kho plains. In the language of the K’Ho ethnic people of Lâm Đồng and Bình Thuận, “TàPao” means “a beautiful dream” (“Tà”: sacred and beautiful, “Pao”: dream).
1. PHASE I (1959 – 1975): Erection and Blessing of the Statue of Our Lady
In 1959, administratively, the TàPao mountain area belonged to Tánh Linh District, Bình Tuy Province. Ecclesiastically, TàPao was part of Huy Khiêm Parish in the Diocese of Nha Trang, under the pastoral care of Bishop Marcel Piquet (affectionately known in Vietnamese as Bishop Lợi).
In 1959, on the occasion of the First National Marian Congress in Saigon, President John Baptist Ngô Đình Diệm commissioned a 3-meter-high cement statue of Our Lady to be erected on TàPao Mountain, Bình Tuy Province (Diocese of Nha Trang). Between 1958 and 1961, through the funding and coordination of the Commissariat General for Land Development, four other Marian statues were erected in the Central Highlands and South Central Coast: Our Lady of Giang Sơn in Đắk Lắk (Diocese of Ban Mê Thuột); Our Lady of Thác Mơ in Phước Long (Diocese of Ban Mê Thuột); Our Lady of Phượng Hoàng in Pleiku (Diocese of Kontum); and Our Lady of Trinh Phong in Ninh Thuận (Diocese of Nha Trang).
On December 8, 1959, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Bishop Marcel Piquet of Nha Trang presided over the solemn Rite of Blessing of the Statue of Our Lady of TàPao, attended by numerous priests and faithful. From then on, the statue on TàPao Mountain became a regular place of prayer and pilgrimage for Catholics in Phan Thiết and Bình Tuy.
From 1965 to 1975, due to fierce wartime circumstances, the Statue of Our Lady of TàPao fell into near-total isolation, overgrown by dense forest vegetation.
2. PHASE II (1975 – 2005): Restoration of the Statue and Emergence of the Pilgrimage Movement
On January 30, 1975, the Diocese of Phan Thiết was established by separating from the Diocese of Nha Trang, with Bishop Nicolas Huỳnh Văn Nghi as its first Bishop.
After April 30, 1975, following the reunification of the country, in obedience to the Bishop, several faithful quietly ventured into the forest to rediscover the Statue of Our Lady on TàPao Mountain. At that time, the statue was severely weathered and damaged in several places.
Starting in October 1980, through the dedicated efforts of parishioners from the Bắc Ruộng area, local priests, and especially Bishop Nicolas Huỳnh Văn Nghi, Bishop of Phan Thiết, the Statue of Our Lady was restored and repaired to the appearance we see today.
On August 1, 1991, the restoration of the Statue of Our Lady of TàPao was completed. In the following years, small groups of faithful began trekking up the mountain to venerate Our Lady and pray.
In late 1999–2000, the widespread pilgrimage movement to Our Lady of TàPao began to take shape, sparked by the “Trúc Lâm event” (on September 23, 1999, when school children at Trúc Lâm II Primary School in Xuân Lộc Diocese saw a luminous figure of Our Lady moving toward the mountains of Tánh Linh). From the year 2000 onward, learning of the sacred statue on the slopes of TàPao Mountain, countless pilgrim groups from near and far, of all walks of life and religious backgrounds, flocked to TàPao day and night to contemplate and pray before Our Lady.
To meet the pastoral and spiritual needs of the rapidly growing number of pilgrims (especially the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the celebration of the Eucharist), on the 13th of every month, a solemn concelebrated Mass was presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese at Tánh Linh Parish Church, about 13 km from TàPao.
3. PHASE III (2005 – 2009): Construction of the Mountain Shrine of Our Lady of TàPao
On April 5, 2005, succeeding Bishop Nicolas, Bishop Paul Nguyễn Thanh Hoan became the second Bishop of Phan Thiết.
On August 13, 2006, Bishop Paul celebrated Mass and blessed the cornerstone for the construction of the Mountain Shrine platform and the right-hand stairway leading up to the Shrine. After nine months of construction, both projects were inaugurated on May 13, 2007.
From July 13, 2008, the monthly concelebrated Masses on the 13th were transferred to Đồng Kho Parish Church. From December 8, 2008, the monthly Masses on the 13th presided over by the Bishop were celebrated at the temporary outdoor altar at the foot of TàPao Mountain.
From December 8, 2008 to December 8, 2009, with the authorization of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Diocese of Phan Thiết celebrated the Jubilee Year of Our Lady of TàPao, marking the 50th anniversary of the Blessing of the Statue (1959–2009). During 2008–2009, the Reception and Pastoral Office of TàPao Pilgrimage Center was officially established.
4. PHASE IV (2009 – 2017): Establishment and Expansion of Our Lady of TàPao Sanctuary
On July 25, 2009, the Holy See appointed Bishop Joseph Vũ Duy Thống, Auxiliary Bishop of Saigon, as the third Bishop of Phan Thiết.
From 2010, to better serve pilgrims, Bishop Joseph acquired additional land to expand and build Our Lady of TàPao Sanctuary. The monthly pilgrimage program was structured cleanly: beginning on the evening of the 12th at 7:00 PM (Marian Procession – Holy Rosary – Floral Tribute – Eucharistic Adoration) and on the morning of the 13th at 6:30 AM with Devotional Prayers followed by the Solemn Concelebrated Mass at the Main Square.
On June 5, 2014, through Decision No. 1924/QĐ-UBND, the People’s Committee of Bình Thuận Province officially recognized the establishment of Our Lady of TàPao Sanctuary under the Bishop’s House of Phan Thiết.
Between 2010 and 2017, the Sanctuary completed major facilities: the Central Square, Eucharistic Square, Rosary Square, Central Square Outdoor Altar, Jesus Bridge, Pastoral & Administration House, utilities, and green ecological landscaping. On March 1, 2017, Bishop Joseph Vũ Duy Thống passed away.
5. PHASE V (2017 – 2019): Continued Construction and Architectural Completion
On March 14, 2017, the Holy See appointed Bishop Thomas Nguyễn Văn Trâm, Bishop of Bà Rịa, as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Phan Thiết. On December 13, 2018, Bishop Thomas presided over the Opening Mass of the 60th Anniversary Jubilee Year of the Blessing of Our Lady of TàPao Statue.
From 2017 to 2019, Bishop Thomas completed the Rosary Square and constructed the Transfiguration Square, Reception Office, Medical Clinic, Parking Lot, and other facilities following the master plan envisioned by the late Bishop Joseph Vũ Duy Thống.
6. PHASE VI (2019 – Present): Modern Pastoral Facilities and the Diocesan Golden Jubilee
On December 3, 2019, the Holy See appointed Bishop Joseph Đỗ Mạnh Hùng, Auxiliary Bishop of Saigon, as the fourth Bishop of Phan Thiết.
On December 13, 2019, at Our Lady of TàPao Sanctuary, Bishop Joseph Đỗ Mạnh Hùng presided over the Closing Mass of the 60th Anniversary Jubilee Year, which also marked the inauguration of his episcopal ministry in Phan Thiết, in the presence of Archbishop Marek Zalewski and the Bishops of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam (CBCV).
During the Covid-19 pandemic (2020–2022), the Sanctuary continued building key works: the Main Sanctuary Gate (blessed on May 12, 2020), the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel (blessed on June 12, 2020), and the Pilgrim Service House at the Mountain Shrine.
On March 5, 2023, Archbishop Marek Zalewski, Non-Resident Papal Representative to Vietnam, blessed the cornerstone for the Guest House & Pastoral Service Building of Our Lady of TàPao Sanctuary, which was subsequently blessed upon completion by Bishop Joseph Đỗ Mạnh Hùng on November 20, 2023.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Diocese of Phan Thiết (1975–2025) and the 65th anniversary of the Statue of Our Lady of TàPao (1959–2024), the Holy See granted a Diocesan Jubilee Year from January 1, 2024 to January 13, 2025, featuring 20 Jubilee Masses with plenary indulgences. Notably, from September 16 to 20, 2024, TàPao Sanctuary hosted the Second Annual Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam, highlighted by the inauguration of the Sanctuary Guest House (September 16), Solemn Vespers and blessing of the newly renovated Mountain Shrine by Archbishop Marek Zalewski followed by the Sacred Pageant “With Mary Proclaiming the Gospel” (September 19), and the Solemn Golden Jubilee Thanksgiving Mass (September 20, 2024).
Conclusion:
Across 65 years of grace (1959–2024), God has worked countless wonders at the sacred land of TàPao. Harmoniously built amidst the natural mountains and forests in the spirit of Laudato Si’, TàPao has become a beloved spiritual home where countless pilgrims receive abundant blessings and conversion through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the maternal intercession of Our Lady, singing in gratitude: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord... for the Almighty has done great things for me” (cf. Lk 1:46, 49).
Source: 50th Anniversary Yearbook of the Diocese of Phan Thiết (Đồng Nai Publishing House, 2024) & Diocesan Historical Archives.
