A Vesak ritual was hosted by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) and the Embassy of Vietnam in Mozambique to mark Buddha’s 2,565th birthday and to pray for peace on May 26 in the capital Maputo.
The ceremony featured incense offerings, Buddha bathing, and a peace prayer recited online by President of the VBS in Mozambique Senior Venerable Thích Đồng Huệ and monks from Nom Pagoda in Vietnam.
A number of musical performances on Buddhism and depicting aspirations for peace and the beauty of Vietnamese and Mozambique culture and nature were also held.
In his remarks, Senior Venerable Huệ called on Buddhists to emulate Buddha’s compassion and spiritual purity to together live in peace and harmony and be devoted to the fatherland.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Lê Huy Hoàng, for his part, said the ritual is a meaningful religious ceremony that will further spread Buddhism’s humanistic thought in the African country, promote the image of Vietnamese people, and strengthen the solidarity of the Vietnamese community.
Speaking highly of the VBS’s charity activities in Mozambique, Hoàng said he expects Vietnamese Buddhists and people in the country to remain united and integrate into local society. He also urged them to continue sharing with each other and to take active measures to prevent infections amid the complicated COVID-19 and security situation in Mozambique./.
