The influence of traditional culture on the veneration of ancestors among Catholic believers (A study of several parishes in Hanoi)

Abstract

After nearly 500 years since its introduction, Catholicism has continued to develop and has gradually become an important component of Vietnamese cultural identity. Parallel to this process, numerous elements of traditional Vietnamese culture have come to be reflected in the consciousness, values, and lifestyles of Catholic believers. This study seeks to further elucidate the influence of traditional Vietnamese culture on the faith and the practices of ancestral veneration among contemporary Vietnamese Catholics, using an interdisciplinary approach with Religious Studies as the central analytical framework.