In the heart of modern and bustling Ho Chi Minh City, three ancient churches bearing the imprint of Western architecture still stand tall as historical witnesses. These works not only recount the story of a special period of Saigon more than a century ago, but are also associated with the name of Mr. Huyen Sy - one of the "four great tycoons" of Nam Ky at the end of the 19th century, and also the grandfather of Empress Nam Phuong.
Mr. Le Phat Dat (1841-1900), also known as Huyen Sy, was a successful businessman with great influence on the cultural and religious life of old Saigon. His family left behind many valuable civil and religious works, in which three ancient churches stood out, becoming a unique cultural highlight in the city.
Located on Ton That Tung street (Ben Thanh ward), Huyen Sy Church is the most typical work. The entire cost of building the cathedral was donated by Mr. Huyen Sy himself. Started in the early 20th century, the church has a typical European Gothic style with a symmetrical facade, a towering dome and bright colored glass windows.
Inside, the space of more than 700m2 is divided into four compartments with a load-bearing arch structure. Initially, the project was named Cho Doi or Saint Philipphe, but people are still familiar with calling it Huyen Sy Church and this name has become common, a familiar religious activity point for a large number of Ho Chi Minh City parishioners.
The imprint of the Le Phat Dat family is also clearly present at Hanh Thong Tay Church (Thong Tay Hoi ward). This project was built by Mr. Le Phat An - Huyen Sy's second son and uncle of Empress Nam Phuong - who wholeheartedly built it. The church impresses strongly with the Byzantine architectural style, a rare school of thought in Vietnam, highlighted by its large dome, high bell tower and symmetrical lines reminiscent of ancient churches in Europe.
The special feature of Hanh Thong Tay Church is that the interior is splendidly decorated with marble and mosaic mosaics imported directly from Italy. Over nearly a century, many carved details still retain their sophistication.
Both sides of the holy palace are also the resting place of Mr. Le Phat An and his wife Tran Thi Tho. Two granite tombs combined with white marble statues depict the image of the couple in a kneeling prayer pose. This is a special architectural detail imbued with the French art imprint of the early 20th century, clearly showing the peak position of one of the richest families in Cochinchina at that time.
Also associated with the Le Phat family, Chi Hoa Church (Tan Son Nhat ward) is a building that once received great financial support from the Huyen Sy family in the process of building and developing the parish in the early 20th century. The building possesses a familiar Gothic architectural style with high arched windows. Although it has undergone many renovations over time, the church still retains its ancient and solemn beauty amidst a rapidly developing urban area.
In the peaceful campus of Chi Hoa Church, there are currently two ancient tombs of Mrs. Magdalena Pham Thi Tin (Mr. Huyen Sy's mother) and Mrs. Maria Le Thi Hoa (Mr. Huyen Sy's daughter). The presence of these tombs is not only a sacred memory of the Le Phat family, but also a peaceful cross-section in the historical ups and downs of the church.
