St. Michael's Church, Sihanoukville

In 1957, a small group of French and Vietnamese Christians settled around the new port built in honour of King Sihanouk.

Bishop Gustave Raballand sent Father Yves Ramousse to celebrate Easter Mass with them and from then on he endeavoured to visit them once in a while.

From the terror and crimes of the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979, the Church was shut down and all the Christians were forced into labour camps, and their faith was persecuted, even to martyrdom.

In 1991, the Church became the headquarters of the UNTAC soldiers under the leadership of Colonel Leng Sound who came in order to help prepare in the national election.

On 14 December 1993, after a long process of negotiation, Bishop Yves Ramouse was able to get the church back from the army forces.

From 1993 to 2001, Father Robert Venet reached out to Catholic communities in and around Sihanoukville as far as Koh Kong and Srae Ambel.

[2] The Christian community has grown steadily to include a number of Chinese faithful, following the evolving demographics of the portuary city.

The church, considered "very original" by others missionaries at the time,[3] makes an innovative use of reinforced concrete typical of the New Khmer architecture.

According to Michael Faelser, "following Buddhist tradition this temporary structure, [the A-frame Pavilion erected for 2,500 years of Buddha celebration, in front of Phnom Penh Railway Station] designed by Vann Molyvann, was dismantled after use.