Gulf Pine Catholic

10 Gulf Pine Catholic • March 1, 1024 Gulf Pine Catholic • March 1, 1024 11 Vietnamese Catholics celebrate the Year of the Dragon TET is the annual celebration of the Lunar New Year welcoming the arrival of Spring for all Vietnamese. It is the biggest holiday in Vietnam (China) and a few other countries in Southeast Asia. TET is a solemn festivity where families gather to wish one another good health, happiness, and longevity. Grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles would give children new money in red envelopes for good luck. TET is also a special time for Vietnamese people to go to church or the temple to give thanks to God and pray for family and their ancestors. It is also the occasion to clean and visit their ancestors graves. Special foods such as banh chung (rice cakes), gio (meat patties), and other special foods are eaten during these New Year festivities. Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III celebrated Masses at Holy Family Church in Pass Christian on February 10 and Church of the Vietnamese Martyrs in Biloxi on February 17. Photos (including cover photo)/Juliana Skelton