Located not far from my hotel in the Nana area, the Holy Redeemer Church became the first Catholic church I visited in Thailand. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Benjakitti Forest Park, just across the Chaloem Maha Nakhon Expressway which was Thailand’s first toll road. Nestled on Ruamrudee Soi 5, off Wireless Road in Pathumwan district of Bangkok, it belongs to the Archdiocese of Bangkok. From its earliest days, the church has been a beacon of support for its diverse neighbors. Situated in Central Bangkok’s embassy district, it grew quickly thanks to an influx of expatriates, from Europeans, Filipinos, Africans to South Asians, while also reaching out to Thai locals. To meet this multicultural congregation, Holy Redeemer has consistently offered regular services in both English and Thai. Recognizing stark urban inequalities, it also turned its attention to the adjoining Khlong Toey slums, where many parishioners live. Since the very beginning, the parish has been deeply committed to its community, establishing programs like the Mercy Center mission and other vital support initiatives for underprivileged families. This deep-rooted commitment to service and outreach is closely intertwined with the legacy of the congregation of priests who first established the church—laying the groundwork for a purpose-driven mission that continues to shape the Holy Redeemer Church’s rich and meaningful history.
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| Some people might mistake this for a wat (Thai temple) if not for the cross on top of the roof |
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| The icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help symbolizes the pastoral mission of the Redemptorists in this parish |
The Holy Redeemer Church was established by the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly known as the Redemptorists. Founded in 1732 by St. Alphonsus Liguori in Scala, Italy, the congregation, formally known in Latin as Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris (CSsR), was officially approved by Pope Benedict XIV on February 25, 1749. The order was born out of St. Alphonsus’s deep commitment to serve the poor and marginalized, a mission that continues to shape the Redemptorists’ identity today. Following his legacy, Redemptorists live in missionary communities that are welcoming, prayerful, and dedicated to helping the poor recognize their dignity and worth in the eyes of God. Today, there are over 5,500 Redemptorist priests and brothers serving in 82 countries around the world. The congregation also holds a special devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and in 1865, Pope Pius IX appointed them as the official custodians and missionaries of the icon and its title. The Redemptorists first arrived in Thailand in 1948, landing at Koh Si Chang off the coast of Si Racha, before continuing their journey by river to Bangkok. In early 1949, the first Redemptorist missionaries in the city, Fr. Charlie Cotant and Fr. John Duyn, rented a house on Nai Lert Lane, where they transformed a former garage into a humble chapel, affectionately known as "Our Lady of the Garage."
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| The church interior blends Thai traditional design elements, like in the ornate ceiling panels |
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| A golden statue of Christ the Redeemer stands at the altar, echoing iconic gestures of Thai Buddhist imagery |
After several years of serving in temporary locations, a permanent plot of land was acquired in Soi Ruamrudee, where the Holy Redeemer Parish was built. The location of the church itself was chosen under the direction of Mgr. Louis Chorin, then head of the Catholic Church in Bangkok, who saw the growing need to serve the city’s English-speaking Catholic community. At that time, English-speaking priests were still relatively few, so Mgr. Chorin specifically looked for a plot of land in an accessible area frequented by expatriates and diplomats. The acquisition of land in the Ruamrudee neighborhood eventually allowed the Redemptorists to establish a permanent church presence in Central Bangkok, resulting in the Holy Redeemer Church’s opening and blessing in 1954 and establishing a long-lasting spiritual home in the heart of Bangkok.
Known in Thai as Wat Phra Maha Thai, the Holy Redeemer Church stands out as one of the rare Catholic churches in Bangkok constructed in traditional Thai architectural style rather than the usual European influences. This approach was notably suggested by the visiting American bishop, Mgr. Fulton Sheen, who advocated for a form of cultural inculturation in Thai Catholic architecture. The church’s design was overseen by Italian engineer Giorgio Accinelli and assisted by François Montocchio, a young French-Vietnamese architect gaining valuable experience at the time. From the outside, the church closely resembles a Thai Buddhist temple, with its multi-tiered red roofs, golden gables, and intricately decorated eaves. If not for the cross placed at the apex of the roof, one could easily mistake it for a wat. However, a closer look reveals a Christian identity, particularly the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help prominently displayed on the front pediment, a Marian icon deeply associated with the Redemptorist congregation. This sacred image, alongside the cross, distinctly marks the building as a Catholic church despite its traditional Thai architectural form. This blending of Thai and Catholic elements continues inside the sanctuary.
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| The Stations of the Cross are rendered as a continuous sculptural sequence, following Thai artistic influence |
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| Tucked in a quiet corner of Redeemer Hall, St. Margarita Chapel offers a serene space for private prayer |
Inside, the spirit of this architectural inculturation continues. The red lacquered ceiling panels, each adorned with gilded floral medallions and bordered by geometric gold patterns, draw direct inspiration from royal Thai hall ceilings. These richly decorated ceiling sections not only uplift the space but also root it deeply in the local visual tradition. Below this ornate canopy, one finds features of Catholic liturgy: rows of wooden pews, an altar framed by Thai-style motifs, and a large golden statue of Christ the Redeemer in place of the usual crucifix. The altar features Thai-style ornamental furniture and gold-toned decorative items reminiscent of royal or monastic Buddhist spaces. Dominating the sanctuary is a striking golden statue of Christ the Redeemer, arms raised in blessing—a posture echoing the iconography of Christ the Redemptor, yet rendered in a style and finish similar to statues found in Thai temples. This fusion highlight both the spiritual and cultural identity of the parish. Another distinctive feature is the portrayal of the Stations of the Cross, unlike the conventional framed scenes spaced individually along the walls, they are rendered here as continuous narrative reliefs on each side of the sanctuary wall, flowing seamlessly like a Thai mural.
At the rear of the church complex stands the Redeemer Hall, a modern multipurpose building that houses the parish rectory, meeting rooms, classrooms for catechism and community activities, as well as facilities supporting the church’s charitable outreach. Inside the ground floor of Redeemer Hall, I also found a peaceful side chapel named St. Margarita Chapel, nestled quietly in a corner. The simple yet inviting space features a modern wooden altar, crucifix, pews, and once again, the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, creating a warm and prayerful setting for smaller gatherings or private devotion. A prominent feature at the front of the hall is the statue of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the Marian icon closely associated with the Redemptorist order (CSsR), who established the Holy Redeemer Church. The same revered image can also be seen framed above the building’s main entrance, reinforcing the church’s deep connection with the Redemptorist mission.
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| Our Lady of Perpetual Help stands gracefully under a traditional Thai-style shrine |
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| Known as the patron saint of hopeless cases, St. Thaddaeus symbolizes encouragement against toughest trials |
In front of the main entrance facing the church we can find a sculpture of St. Jude Thaddaeus, often invoked as the patron of desperate causes. His presence here resonates with the church’s long tradition of serving marginalized communities and those in spiritual need. Both striking statues—Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Jude Thaddaeus—each housed in elegant, Thai-style shrines with pointed roofs and golden spires that reflect traditional Buddhist architecture. These ornate canopies, typically seen in Thai temple structures, reinforce the church's deep commitment to cultural integration while still maintaining strong Catholic identity.
The Holy Redeemer Church stands as a profound testament to the Catholic Church’s ability to adapt and serve across cultural and social boundaries. With its bold Thai architectural identity and its dual mission, it bridges two very different worlds—welcoming Bangkok’s diverse expatriate community while extending compassion and support to the city’s most vulnerable, particularly those from the nearby Klong Toey slums. More than just a place of worship, it is a sanctuary of inclusion, dignity, and shared faith. And while this unique Thai-style Catholic church made a lasting impression, it wouldn’t be the only one I visited during my time in Bangkok. In the next post, I’ll share my experience attending my first-ever Eucharistic Mass in English, held in another historic and architecturally rich church nestled in the heart of the city.
Holy Redeemer Church
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Location 123/15 Ruamrudee Soi 5, Wittayu Road, Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
Weekly Mass Schedule
Saturday, 05.30 PM (English), 07.00 PM
Sunday, 06.30 AM, 07.30 AM, 08.30 AM (English), 09.45 AM (English), 11.00 AM (English), 12.30 PM, 05.30 PM (English), 07.00 PM
* Mass is in Thai unless otherwise stated
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