Antique Vietnamese Catholic Lamb of God Flaming Heart Design Authentic Ecclesiastical Cloth Altar Textile

This vintage Vietnamese Catholic altar cloth features a central Lamb of God embroidered of metallic thread, surrounded by embroidered silk floral clusters. On each sides of the central design is a clusters of a silk-embroidered flower together with metallic grapes and wheat sprays and a flaming heart centered cluster of metallic grapes and wheat. On either end is a half-cluster of the same flowers, grapes and wheat. 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 tradit