Inside the new church.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
APRIL 9, 2019 | You may have seen the massive superstructure of the Vietnamese Catholic church that is steadily rising on Beaver Ruin Road at Interstate 85. It is expected to be dedicated on November 24. The new church features a 30-foot vaulted ceiling. will seat 1,120 in the main sanctuary and will cost more than $14 million.
It will be known as the Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of Atlanta to serve the community of Vietnamese American Roman Catholics who live, celebrate and proclaim the Catholic faith and preserve Vietnamese cultural traditions. The new church seeks to capture the spirit of its patron saints—the 117 Holy Martyrs of Vietnam. These martyrs died over the centuries in Vietnam to preserve the Catholic faith. The 117 were canonized by Pope John Paul II in the 1980s. The congregation was formed in the early 1990s in Tucker. Today it has a membership of 1,500 families.
Father Francis Tuan Q. Tran with C.C. Nguyen, who is co-chairman of the Parish Council.
The goal of the building program is to appeal to different generations within the community—the first generation elders and second generation youth. It also seeks to blend Eastern and Western styles, and provide an inspiring religious worship experience.
Key features of the building include large gothic arch windows down both sides and on the ends of the two transepts. It will have a large two level tower over the altar open to the roof, with windows on its four sides that allow additional natural light to flood the area below. The narthex (the lobby between the main entrance and the nave) will feature a Baptismal Font in the center. Other internal features include a chapel, seating 150, located in the apse of the building; a spacious bride’s room, two confessionals, a Vestry, Sacristy and other public spaces. Altogether, the floor space totals 24,400 square feet.
The firm designing the building is The Sizemore Group of Atlanta. The general contractor is Van Winkle Construction Inc., with Alex Wood and David Towles as project engineers.
Members of the church form what will be the outline of the church.
William J. de St. Aubin, the lead designer, says the biggest challenge was “creating a building that was obviously Vietnamese from a team of American architects. Yet we are a blend of many cultures, particularly in Gwinnett. What better example than the Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Church who moved into a car dealership and defeated a transfer station zoning next door. They hold an annual festival celebrating their community, which attracts 30,000 people in a single weekend.”
In the design of the church, one element is the curved turned-up corner and flat-sloped roof, found in traditional Vietnamese architecture. The turned-up elements are to lift a person’s spirits upward and speak to the Asian heritage letting visitors joyfully celebrate their heritage.
Tower rising
The joyful expression of worship and community set by the church pastor, the Rev. Francis Tuan Q. Tran, greets visitors upon arrival in the way of a smiling roof form. He is assisted by parochial vicars Rev. Dominique Cong Tan Nguyen and Rev. John Tuan Anh Nguyen Pham.
Dennis Kelly, senior project manager for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, says: “This is one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever been associated with over my 20 years in this capacity and many projects. But this one is special, as are its people. They are unique and a joy to work with. If every church had parishioners as dedicated and committed to their faith like the ones at Holy Vietnamese Martyrs, this would be a better world.”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Follow Us