Antique Vietnamese Catholic Flaming Heart Design Authentic Ecclesiastical Cloth Altar Textile

This vintage Vietnamese Catholic altar cloth features a central flaming heart in the middle of a sunburst, surrounded by embroidered silk flowers. On each side of the central design are clusters of silk-embroidered flowers. On either end is a half-cluster of the same flowers. This would have decorated the front of the altar. This is an exceptionally beautiful early 20th century cloth and is among the oldest we have. Regrettably its condition reflects its age and use; it is very worn and stained. There is a large attached cotton section that would have laid on the top of the altar, holding the altar decoration in place.    Most people associate Catholicism in Viet Nam with the French colonial period, which is very much the case. However, Jesuits from all over Europe brought Catholicism to Asia 500 years before that. The Catholic tradition in Viet Nam and all the other Catholic populations of Asia is well established. The Catholic population of Vietnam is only about 8% of t