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Chairman of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs (GCRA) Vũ Hoài Bắc hosted on May 17 a reception for the delegation of the Myanmar Buddhist Sangha led by Supreme Patriarch Candima Bhivamsa.
Joining the reception was Vice Chairwoman of the GCRA Trần Thị Minh Nga, Senior Venerable Thích Thanh Huân, Deputy Chief of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)’s Office in Hanoi, Venerable Thích Thiện Ngọc, Member of the VBS’s Overseas Dharma Propagation Sub-Committee cum Abbot of the VBS’s Dai Phuoc pagoda located in Yangon of Myanmar.
At the reception, Chairman Vũ Hoài Bắc extended congratulations to Supreme Patriarch Candima Bhivamsa for being elected as the Supreme Patriarch of the Myanmar Buddhist Sangha since March 8, 2024 - the highest post of the Myanmar Buddhist Sangha recognized by the State.
The GCRA Chairman also informed the guests about the religious life in Vietnam, where the VBS is the largest religious organization with many practical contributions to the national development.
Emphasizing that Vietnam currently has about 1,000 Buddhist monks and nuns studying and practicing at Buddhist schools and pagodas in Myanmar, Chairman Vũ Hoài Bắc expressed hope that the Myanmar Buddhist Sangha would continue creating favorable conditions for supportingstudies and practices of these Vietnamese monks and nuns.
Chairman Vũ Hoài Bắc presents symbol of Dong Son Bronze Drum featuring patriotic tradition and quintessence of traditional national culture of the Vietnamese people to Supreme Patriarch Candima Bhivamsa
Supreme Patriarch Candima Bhivamsa thanked the host for the warm welcome and highlighted the long-tradition and great contributions of Buddhism to the cultural tradition and social life in the two countries.
The Supreme Patriarch also shared with the GCRA leader about the Myanmar Buddhist Sangha delegation’s working trip in Vietnam from May 15-25 including visits to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda and other Buddhist places, and the participation in 2568th Buddha's birthday celebration to be held in Phu Tho, etc.
Supreme Patriarch Candima Bhivamsa presents symbol of Shwedagon Golden Pagoda to Chairman Vũ Hoài Bắc
Posing for group photo
NL