Bishop Jean Legrez at Thai Ha

Protestors at Thai Ha applauded crazily on Sunday when they were informed that Bishop Jean Marie Henri Legrez, O.P. of Saint-Claude diocese in France was among them. He was the first foreign Bishop to visit and join them in prayers for justice.

Bishop Jean Legrez came to Thai Ha on early Sunday morning when more than 15,000 Catholics from Hanoi and nearby provinces were travelling to Thai Ha by any means they could reach. A Redemptorist priest guided him to the land in dispute where he joined thousands of protestors in prayers. He was also briefed on the tension in the area caused by the presence of hundreds of police armed with stun guns.

The presence of Bishop Jean Legrez helped to calm down many protestors who were wondering why police were deployed at an abnormal large scale in and around Thai Ha. “I don’t think they [police] dare to attack us in front of a foreigner, especially a bishop,” a student said. “I feel safe and concentrate better to my prayers,” she added.

Major-General Nguyen Duc Nhanh, the Director of the Hanoi Police Agency, and many high ranking police officials were on the site to reconnoiter and direct police units to film protestors as an obvious intimidation tactic.

Police were in high alert after a sudden protest at Hanoi former nunciature on Saturday morning. They stopped every bus travelling from other provinces to the capital. Many faithful had to walk several miles after their buses were forced to turn back.

On Saturday morning, 32 sisters of the Adorers of the Holy Cross congregation in Hanoi took their solemn, perpetual profession of vows at Hanoi Cathedral. After the Mass, priests led the faithful march in procession from St. Joseph cathedral to the former nunciature where they had held daily protests until Feb. 1 when the government promised to return it to the Church.