Ho Chi Minh City’s Notre-Dame Cathedral doubles LED lights for Christmas, draws crowds

Father Inhaxio Ho Van Xuan, the cathedral’s rector and head of its restoration committee, said the lights, which wrap around globe-shaped ornaments, are intended to remind visitors of their shared responsibility to protect the earth.

The LED displays will be turned on daily from 6:45 pm to 11:00 pm through December 7, and from December 8 to January 5, lights will remain on until 2:00 am, Father Xuan said.

The cathedral is undergoing a major eight-year restoration project led by Belgian firm Monument, with work focusing on heavily damaged bell towers and iron spires.

Restoration of these structures is expected to finish by March or April 2026, while the full project is scheduled for completion in late 2027.