Having a Moment in Hanoi
I thought that Angkor Wat at sunrise might be a spiritual experience, whatever that means. It wasn’t. It was awe-inspiring, beautiful, and calming experience but I wouldn’t say it was spiritual. There was no deep sense of connectedness to the energy of the temples or the world at large, no epiphanies. And that was perfectly fine.
In contrast, I thought that stopping by St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi, Vietnam would be a check mark in a box, one of those things you should see while in Hanoi. I almost skipped it because it was the end of the day on Friday, I was tired of walking around, and I didn’t think I’d have FOMO about missing seeing a pretty church.
Buuuuuut the Cathedral was virtually on the way back to the hostel so I decided there was no reason not to take the route to the hostel that went by St. Joseph’s and take a quick peek. I juiced-up (i.e. bought and drank a watermelon juice) and headed to the Cathedral.
St. Joseph’s is striking from the outside. It’s Neo-Gothic architecture was designed to mirror that of its counter-part in France, Notre Dame. It’s an old cathedral, built in 1886, but it appears even older because of the black smearings that cover the bulk of its surface. Even places of worship cannot escape the areas air pollution.
Worn but beautiful exterior of Saint Joseph’s Cathedral Hanoi, Vietnam
The other striking thing about the exterior of the church that is striking is its location. It’s located right in the middle of an area otherwise crowded with pedestrians, restaurants, and shops. The juxtaposition when you walk up is almost confusing. You go from walking on crowded sidewalks comparing coffee shops and on the look-out for the rogue motorbikes who use the sidewalk as a street to being at the church. You don’t walk across any grounds, entry-way, or see other indicators that you are about to arrive at a church. All of a sudden, you’re just there and it’s there.
Trying to get creative with my photography. Not loving the flag pole in the background.
The people, of course, don’t suddenly go away. They are there too. Taking photographs, observing the church, touristing. I read that for mass the church fills to capacity and people stand in the courtyard and sidewalk to listen to the services which are broadcast to the outside. I got lucky on timing and there were no services when I arrived but the church was open to visitors. So I visited.
Lucky Shot of Unknown Man Leaving the Cathedral.
The middle entrance to the church is roped off so you enter through the door on the left-front of the building. Or if you are an obnoxious tourist, you step over the rope and take photos at the main entrance. (Shit like this bugs me at all tourist locations. Have some respect people.) There is no charge to go inside, but there was a small counter on the left where I presume you could pay to light a votive candle inside the cathedral.
The interior of the Cathedral is fairly narrow but like others of its type, tall. When I entered, it was dark inside with the only light coming through its numerous stained glass windows. Traditional Catholic music played softly but noticeably. It may have been organ music, I can’t recall but if you have ever been in a Catholic church, it’s that type of music.
I had a very visceral response almost instantly upon entering St. Joseph’s. I was overcome by emotion and got a little choked up. It wasn’t a negative or sad feeling, just a powerful one. I was surprised by the feeling and recall mentally noting that perhaps it was because I hadn’t been in a church “like this” in a long time. “Like this” meaning one with old architecture, design hat visually imposes the significance of the building.
Interior of St. Joseph’s Cathedral Lightened Up a Bit so It’s Visible
Closer View of Stained Glass Windows Behind Alter at St. Joseph’s
Rather than just snap a few photos as I had planned, I felt driven to actually sit down in a pew for a few minutes. Initially, I sat at the back, alternating between taking some photos and just sitting and observing the church and the people in it. Some were clearly there to see a well-known tourist site while others were clearly there to pray. I then moved to a pew closer to the front of the church, sat for a short period, and said a little prayer.
I pondered the reason that I might be feeling such a strong emotion. Maybe it was the church itself, the music and its structure designed to evoke an emotional response. Maybe it was the quiet after days, really weeks, of being on busy city streets constantly in motion. Maybe the familiarity of a Catholic church reminded me of family and home and made me feel connected to that in some way. Maybe it was the first moment that I absorbed that I had made it almost three weeks on my own in foreign countries and was safe and content.
I wasn’t sure of the reason then and I’m still not. It was, however, an unmistakably powerful experience. These types of moments can’t be forced or predicted but when they arise, I think it’s prudent to listen to them even if you’re not sure exactly what you are being told. For me in that moment, that meant just sitting with the emotion and the confusion over the emotion for a few minutes.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue.
Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.” – Ranier Maria Rilke
Stained Glass Windows Inside St. Joseph’s Cathedral
Rear end of the Cathedral and End of This Post. 🙂
