About Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs · Richmond, Virginia
The Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs (Giáo Xứ Các Thánh Tử Đạo Việt Nam) is a Vietnamese-American Catholic parish in the Richmond, Virginia area, canonically erected on May 14, 1983 and currently served by Dominican (O.P.) priests of the Order of Preachers. The parish community was first gathered by Vietnamese Catholic refugees in 1977, and it has been a spiritual home for successive waves of Vietnamese Catholics in central Virginia ever since. Mass is celebrated primarily in Vietnamese (with English translation projected on screens), the parish's patron is the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs canonized in 1988, and the major patronal feast is kept each year on Thanksgiving Day. The current church and parish complex on Patterson Avenue was consecrated on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1999, and the parish celebrated its 25th anniversary of the new church in December 2024 with Bishop Barry C. Knestout.
- Established
- 1983
- Patron
- The Vietnamese Martyrs (Các Thánh Tử Đạo Việt Nam) — the 117 Vietnamese, Spanish Dominican, and French MEP martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988
- Rector
- Rev. Tien Minh (Antôn) Đinh, O.P. — Dominican friar; pastor of Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Richmond (Deanery 7)
Why belong here
The Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs is the spiritual home of Richmond-area Vietnamese Catholics and welcomes anyone who wishes to worship at a parish where the faith is celebrated in Vietnamese tradition. Masses are in Vietnamese with English translation on screens, the Dominican fathers (Order of Preachers) shepherd the community, and a rich tapestry of parish societies — the Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus Council 14059 (Andrew Dũng Lạc), Don Bosco Eucharistic Youth, prayer, rosary, dance and liturgical drum groups — make it easy to find a place to serve. Families and youth especially will find a bilingual, multigenerational community that has kept its Vietnamese Catholic devotional heritage alive for nearly fifty years in central Virginia.
Mass times at Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- One hour before each Mass
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration on First Friday evenings, following the 8:00 PM Mass
- Monthly Eucharistic Adoration for the youth group on the first Sunday of each month
Welcome to the Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs
The Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs (Giáo Xứ Các Thánh Tử Đạo Việt Nam) is the Vietnamese-American Catholic parish serving the Richmond, Virginia area. The parish is identified by the Vietnamese word 'Chứng Nhân' ('Witnesses' — for the martyrs) and is led by Dominican friars. It belongs to Deanery 7 of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and is the spiritual home of a multigenerational Vietnamese Catholic community that has been present in central Virginia since 1977. Mass is celebrated primarily in Vietnamese, with English translation projected on screens for non-Vietnamese-speaking members of the congregation.
- Canonical erection: May 14, 1983
- Patron: The Vietnamese Martyrs
- Diocese: Richmond (Deanery 7)
- Order: Dominican (O.P.)
- Languages: Vietnamese (primary) and English (congregational translation)
Parish History
The community was born from the Vietnamese refugee movement that followed the fall of Saigon in 1975. Vietnamese Catholics in Richmond were first gathered at Christmas 1977 by Fr. Gioan Trần Bình Trọng, with Bishop Walter F. Sullivan providing St. Joseph's Villa on Brook Road as a temporary chapel. By 1983 the community had grown to more than 500, and on May 14, 1983 the bishop formally erected the parish with Fr. Giuse Đặng Văn Chín as its first pastor and a new worship site at 65-67 W. Clopton Street. Under Fr. Giuse Phạm Xuân Thắng (pastor from 1988), the parish nearly doubled in size and outgrew the Clopton Street church. Beginning in June 1998, the parish built a new campus on Patterson Avenue and dedicated the new church on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1999. In 2003 Fr. Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Văn Thông was added as parochial vicar, and the parish has been shepherded by a succession of Dominican friars ever since — Fr. Phaolô Nguyễn Minh Tuấn O.P. (2014–2017), Fr. Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Nghiêu O.P. (2017–), and the current pastor Fr. Antôn Đinh Minh Tiên O.P. On September 15, 2018, Thoai Tran was ordained a permanent deacon, and the next summer the sanctuary was renovated and Sunday-Mass livestreaming began. The parish marked the 20th anniversary of the church's consecration in Thanksgiving 2019 and the 25th anniversary on December 1, 2024 with Bishop Barry C. Knestout.
- 1977 — Vietnamese Catholic community formed in Richmond (c. 45 families / 200 people) at St. Joseph's Villa, under Bishop Walter F. Sullivan
- 1979 — Fr. Giuse Trần Văn Huân succeeds Fr. Trọng
- May 14, 1983 — Diocese of Richmond formally erects 'Giáo Xứ Các Thánh Tử Đạo Việt Nam'; first pastor Fr. Giuse Đặng Văn Chín; chapel moves to 65-67 W. Clopton St.
- June 1988 — Fr. Giuse Phạm Xuân Thắng becomes pastor
- June 1997 – Dec 2000 — Fr. Antôn Ngô Kim Trạng serves as parochial vicar
- June 1998 – Nov 1999 — Construction of the new Patterson Avenue campus
- Nov 21, 1999 — Parish relocates to 12500 Patterson Ave
- Nov 25, 1999 — New church consecrated on Thanksgiving Day
- Aug 21, 2003 — Fr. Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Văn Thông added as parochial vicar
- Aug 1, 2014 — Fr. Phaolô Nguyễn Minh Tuấn O.P. becomes pastor (Ave Maria Choir formed at the Saturday vigil)
- Sept 15, 2018 — Deacon Thoai Tran ordained by Bishop Barry Knestout
- Summer 2018 — Sanctuary renovation and launch of Sunday-Mass livestreaming
- Thanksgiving 2019 — 20th anniversary of church consecration; joins diocese's 200th anniversary (1820–2020)
- Dec 1, 2024 — 25th anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Knestout
The Vietnamese Martyrs — Our Patron
The parish is named for the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988. They include 96 Vietnamese faithful and 21 foreign missionaries (11 Spanish Dominicans and 10 French members of the Paris Foreign Missions Society) who died for the faith between the 18th and 19th centuries. In the General Roman Calendar their memorial is celebrated on November 24. At the parish, the patronal feast is kept on U.S. Thanksgiving Day each year, which serves as both a national and a uniquely Vietnamese-Catholic celebration of remembrance and thanksgiving.
- Patron: The Vietnamese Martyrs (Các Thánh Tử Đạo Việt Nam)
- Memorial: November 24
- Parish celebration: Thanksgiving Day (Lễ Tạ Ơn)
- Statue of Our Lady of La Vang inside the church — referencing the 1800 La Vang apparition in Vietnam
Pastoral Leadership and Dominican Identity
The parish is served by the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), whose 18th-century missionaries in Vietnam are among the 117 martyrs. The current leadership is pastor Fr. Tien Minh (Antôn) Đinh, O.P., and parochial vicar Fr. Chinh Trong (Joseph Chinh) Đinh, O.P., supported by permanent deacons Thoai Tran and Liem Hieu Do. Four Daughters of Mary Immaculate also live on the property in a convent behind the church.
- Pastor: Rev. Tien Minh (Antôn) Đinh, O.P.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Chinh Trong (Joseph Chinh) Đinh, O.P.
- Permanent Deacon: Rev. Mr. Thoai Tran (ordained Sept 15, 2018)
- Permanent Deacon: Rev. Mr. Liem Hieu Do
- Religious sisters: Daughters of Mary Immaculate (resident convent)
Parish Ministries and Societies
The parish community gathers in many lay organizations that sustain its liturgical, prayer and charitable life. The Pastoral Council and Finance Council advise the pastor; the Legion of Mary, Prayer Group and Knights of Columbus Andrew Dũng Lạc Council 14059 support evangelization and service; the Don Bosco Eucharistic Youth Group serves some 120–150 children and teens with bilingual formation; and several choirs, a sacred-dance group and a prayer-drum ensemble animate the liturgy. Members continue a tradition begun in the early years of selling Vietnamese egg rolls and foods to local businesses and hospitals to raise funds for the parish.
- Pastoral Council (Hội Đồng Mục Vụ)
- Finance Council (Hội Đồng Tài Chánh)
- Legion of Mary (Hội Đạo Binh Đức Mẹ)
- Knights of Columbus Council 14059 — Andrew Dũng Lạc
- Prayer Group (Hội Cầu Nguyện)
- Don Bosco Eucharistic Youth (bilingual, ages 6–18)
- Seraphim Choir (10:30 AM), 8:00 AM Choir, Ave Maria Choir (Saturday vigil)
- Sacred Dance Group (Đoàn Thánh Vũ)
- Prayer Drum Ensemble (Đoàn Trống Nguyện Cầu)
- Food and fundraising tradition (egg rolls and Vietnamese foods)
Music, Liturgical Arts and Vietnamese Devotional Heritage
Vietnamese Catholic liturgical culture is visibly present throughout the church. Three choirs lead the sung Mass each week — the 8:00 AM choir, the Séraphim choir for the 10:30 AM Mass, and the Ave Maria choir for the Saturday vigil. A sacred-dance group and a traditional Vietnamese drum ensemble (3 large, 10 medium and 12 small drums brought from Vietnam by the parish) accompany major feasts. The church also features an Our Lady of La Vang statue (referencing the 1800 Marian apparition in Vietnam), an olive garden, ten large statues of Mary at the rear, and Stations of the Cross mounted both inside and outside the building — a distinctive double set that physically expresses the journey of the Passion.
- Choirs: 8:00 AM, Séraphim (10:30 AM), Ave Maria (Saturday vigil)
- Sacred Dance Group and Vietnamese Prayer Drum Ensemble
- Our Lady of La Vang statue
- Olive Garden and ten rear statues of Mary
- Double Stations of the Cross (10 inside + 10 outside)
Youth, Faith Formation and the Bilingual Community
The Don Bosco Eucharistic Youth Group, run by parish volunteers, serves roughly 120 to 150 children and young people between the ages of 6 and 18. Meetings are bilingual in Vietnamese and English: before Mass the youth review that day's Scripture readings, and after Mass they gather for formation in topics such as the Bible and first aid. The group keeps a monthly Eucharistic Adoration on the first Sunday of every month, giving young people a sustained introduction to prayer and devotion.
- Don Bosco Eucharistic Youth (Đoàn Thiếu Nhi Thánh Thể Don-Bosco)
- Bilingual formation in Vietnamese and English
- Pre-Mass Scripture review and post-Mass catechesis
- Monthly Eucharistic Adoration on the first Sunday
Facilities, Campus and Anniversaries
The parish operates a single campus at 12500 Patterson Avenue (Richmond mailing address, Goochland County), built between June 1998 and November 1999. It includes the main church, a parish hall, a rectory, an Our Lady shrine, a prayer pavilion, an outdoor Stations of the Cross, and a convent for the Daughters of Mary Immaculate. Major milestones on the campus have been its consecration on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1999; the 20th-anniversary celebration in Thanksgiving 2019; and the 25th-anniversary Mass with Bishop Barry C. Knestout on December 1, 2024.
- 12500 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23238
- Main church, parish hall, rectory, Our Lady shrine, prayer pavilion
- Outdoor Stations of the Cross and convent for the Daughters of Mary Immaculate
- 2018 sanctuary renovation and livestream launch
- 25th anniversary of the new church: December 1, 2024
Visiting the Parish and Getting Involved
Visitors are warmly welcomed. Sunday Masses are at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM and the Saturday vigil is at 8:00 PM; English-speaking visitors can follow the readings and prayers via the church's video translation screens. Reconciliation is available one hour before each Mass or by appointment. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, the bulletin is published weekly in Vietnamese, and Sunday Mass is livestreamed online. Anyone wishing to become more involved can join one of the parish's many societies — the Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus Council 14059, the Don Bosco youth program, one of the three choirs, the Sacred Dance group, or the Prayer Drum ensemble.
- Office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Weekly Vietnamese bulletin; livestream on YouTube
- Confession: 1 hour before Mass or by appointment
- Ways to get involved: choirs, youth group, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, prayer, dance and drum groups
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Gioan Trần Bình Trọng1977–1979
First spiritual leader of the Vietnamese Catholic Community in Richmond, gathered at St. Joseph's Villa under Bishop Walter F. Sullivan's patronage.
- Fr. Giuse Trần Văn Huân1979–1983
Continued the community until it outgrew the chapel; oversaw relocation to 65-67 W. Clopton Street.
- Fr. Giuse Đặng Văn Chín1983–1988
First official pastor after Bishop Sullivan formally erected the parish on May 14, 1983.
- Fr. Giuse Phạm Xuân Thắng (Msgr. Joseph Pham)1988–c. 2014
Longest-tenured pastor; led the construction of the Patterson Avenue campus and the 1999 move; assisted by Fr. Antôn Ngô Kim Trạng (1997–2000) and Fr. Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Văn Thông (from 2003).
- Fr. Phêrôbefore 2014
Succeeded Fr. Phạm Xuân Thắng; later transferred to pastor the Vietnamese Martyrs parish in Arlington, Virginia.
- Fr. Phaolô Nguyễn Minh Tuấn, O.P.2014–2017
Replaced Fr. Phêrô; the Saturday-evening Mass grew under his tenure and the Ave Maria choir was formed.
- Fr. Gioan Baotixita Nguyễn Nghiêu, O.P.2017–
Succeeded Fr. Phaolô on August 1, 2017; during his tenure the church was renovated (2018) and Sunday-Mass livestreaming began.
- Fr. Antôn Đinh Minh Tiên, O.P. (Tien Minh Dinh, OP)current
Current pastor; Dominican friar presiding over the 25th-anniversary Mass with Bishop Knestout on December 1, 2024.