Marian Days
Marian Days
Despite its small size, Carthage somehow manages to handle the influx of more than 70,000 visitors for the summer celebration. Attendees come from all over the country; some stay in nearby hotels, and others camp on the grounds of the Catholic order's 28-acre campus or in residents' backyards. A festival area is arranged before the weekend for church groups to erect food tents and various displays.
The weekend's events, which include daily Masses, penance ceremonies, benedictions, and religious lectures, lead up to the Saturday celebration, which consists of a parade for the Virgin Mary as well as a fireworks and balloon ceremony. The weekend closes with a final mass that is recited in Vietnamese and translated into English.
Congregation of the Mother Co-Redemptrix
1900 Grand Ave.
Carthage, MO 64836
417-358-7787
www.dongcong.org