Nguyen Huu Triet, a bishop of Tan Chau Sa Parish in Ho Chi Minh City ,has spent over 15 years collecting 1,300 antique lamps dating back tothousands of years ago.
“In the old days, ourancestors used images of lamps and books as symbols of study. Meanwhile,the light has been seen as the spirit of Catholicism. Therefore, I wantto build up a lamp collection to understand more about the culturallife,” Bishop Triet said.
Among the lamps, made indifferent countries such as France , Germany , Japan , China andIndia , the oldest one belonged to the Dong Son era in Vietnamdating back 2,000-2,500 years ago.
With simpledesigns, the lamps, made from various materials such as iron, porcelainor glass, are not only works of art but also present the culturaldevelopment of eras that they belong to.
“Each era,each country and people have their own way to keep the flame, which isproven through the diversity in lamp design. Although modern people areused to electricity, the lamps are still lit as a symbol for thespiritual light of humanity,” the collector said.
Bishop Triet is continuing his travels to enrich the collection and manypeople have presented him with lamps or informed him where lamps mayexist.
With a thought that, “human existence isshort like a lamp’s, so we have to lead a meaningful life,” Bishop Trietwishes to present the collection to the church to preserve culturalvalues for following generations./.