Hundreds of ethnic villagers in the central highlands said their first public celebration of Christmas after decades of religious constraints had bolstered their faith. A Glen, a lay leader, said the ethnic Mlang residents of Ro Coi village in Kon Tum province were grateful to commemorate the season. “We were very happy to attend Christmas celebrations held at our village for the first time in 36 years,” he said, adding that about 800 villagers joined in the celebration. The lay leaders said French missioners introduced Catholicism to local villagers and built a small chapel in 1940, but that they have had no resident priests since 1975. He said Father Thadeus Nguyen Ai Quoc, who was assigned to the village earlier this year, led Christmas rites this year at the village chapel. In past years, villagers had to travel 40 kilometers to attend events in other churches. “From now on, we hope [this] will be a visible sign of improvement in our faith life and religious activities in the area,” Glen said. Fr Quoc said religious activities remain restricted in the area, which borders Cambodia, and that local authorities would only allow him to hold events during the day. He added that he plans to begin offering catechism courses, prayers and liturgical rites for local Catholics who have received no faith education for many years.