Inside The "Karaoke Church" - Near Siem Reap, Cambodia

When the Jesuits bought this tiny "floating building" it was a karaoke bar. At most it can hold about 70 worshipers.

We visited on Easter Sunday morning, and the choir was practicing hymns for the mass to be held later in the day. As you can see there are no pews or chairs, and the alter and related objects sit on the floor, along with the parishioners. The reflections you see on the walls and ceiling are caused by plastic wrap which covers those surfaces. We were not sure what purpose this served.

They have now obtained a second "building", which is tethered to the first and is used as a pre-school, where the Vietnamese immigrants are taught Khmer, the national language of Cambodia. The church also gives the children scholarships so that when they are ready they can attend school in Siem Reap.

The priest shared with us that there is no pushing of religion. He explained that if any of the villagers wished to be baptized, he had them wait for a period of 3 years, to insure that their choice was voluntary.