For Vietnamese people, going to Buddhist pagodas on early days of the traditional New Year festival has become an unique spiritual and cultural feature. On occasion of the Lunar New Year 2017, let’s look at Buddhist temples in Vietnam’s bordering areas.

Buddhist monks hold lanterns during a yearly ceremony at Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple in the north of Bangkok. Thai people celebrate the Buddhist festival of clockwise circumambulation and Makha pratipa lantern lighting ceremony at Dhammakaya Temple on “Makha Bucha Day” during the third lunar moon, where around 1250 monks gathered to be ordained by the Buddha.

On January 12, Hue Archdiocese held an enthronement for its newly appointed Archbishop of the Archdiocese Guise Nguyễn Chí Linh.

On December 30, Hue Archdiocese held a service for the 47^th anniversary of priesthood and 11^th anniversary of bishopric ordination of the Archdiocese’s Former Archbishop Francis Xavie Lê Văn Hồng.

Hoa Hao Buddhist followers held a grand ceremony for the 97th birth anniversary of the sect’s founder, Prophet Hùynh Phú Sổ in An Hoa Tu, Phu My township, Phu Tan district, An Giang province on December 23.

On occasion of the Christmas festival 2016, Protestant congregations under the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECVN) (North) in mountainous provinces of Vietnam Northern have joyfully held programs to celebrate this event.

Christmas 2017 is fast approaching. Many people are eager to decorate their homes, their shops, or stroll with loved ones watching the sparkling and colorful streets with beautiful signs and symbols dedicated only for the Christmas festival.

On November 15-18, the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECVN) (North) organized a religious training with the theme “Servant of St. Jehovah” together with the ordainment of the Church’s 54 new pastors.

My Tho Diocese held on November 18 a ceremony for closing the Jubilee Year of Mercy and promoting seven deacons to priests in the diocese’s pastoral center.

The Evangelical Church of Vietnam (ECVN) (South) held on November 8 the preparatory meeting of the 8^th Council of clergy at Da Lat Protestant Church in Lam Dong province.

Hanoi (VNA) – Tran Quoc Pagoda of Hanoi was named one of the world’s 16 most beautiful pagodas by the Daily Mail, a British newspaper. 

Ba Giong Parish under My Tho Diocese in Tien Giang province’s Chau Thanh district held on Oct 30 the closing ceremony for the holy rosary month in 2016. The ceremony with many activities including flowers offering, art performances and the Feast of Lady of the Rosary attracted a large number of Catholic believers from inside and outside the parish. 

Eight deacons of Hanoi Archdiocese were solemnly promoted as priests on October 19 at a ceremony held in the Diocese’s Cathedral.