Some 20,000 young Catholics from 11 Vietnamese dioceses attended the 17th Youth Day for northern dioceses held near the Minor Basilica of Immaculate Conception in Nam Dinh province.
The huge gathering on Nov. 19-20 with the theme "Go home to your own people" was hosted by Bui Chu Diocese, the cradle of Catholicism in Vietnam where the first missionaries reportedly arrived in 1533.
For the first time, Pope Francis sent a message to participants, urging them to love their families, church and nation.
(Photos by ucanews reporter)