CARTHAGE, Mo. — People are preparing to hit the road after one of the biggest traditions in the region, Marian Days, comes to an end.
The celebration made it’s return following a two year break caused by the pandemic.
Marian Days has been an ongoing tradition for the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer for the past 43 years.
While it’s mainly been focused on worship, Provincial Minister Father John Paul Tran says it also helps highlight Vietnamese culture and bonds.
“We were very scared from Sunday to Thursday because there was just a few walking around, but Thursday when we had the opening ceremony, we were surprised that there were more than we expected. Not like the other years, but 70 to 80 percent attending,” says Tran.
According to him, Marian Days usually brings in roughly 50 to 60 thousand people to Carthage.
Not just from the Four States, but from all over America.
“It’s nice communicating with other people around the entire world because you’ll never ever see them again so you might as well just talk to them and greet them,” says Thien An Nguyen, who traveled from Texas.
“It’s a special day for all of us,” says Hung Nguyen, who traveled from Alabama, “We get together here, I got so many friends, we haven’t been in contact for years and we just bump into each other on this event and it’s just an amazing miracle.”
According to officials the largest attendance in the history of Marian Days was between 80 and 90 thousand people.
