Media /
Thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns, worshippers, and non-Buddist followers join Lord Buddha’s birthday celebration, which will be on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month, or May 22 this year.
Lotus-shaped lanterns glow bright in the canal. Legend has it that when Buddha was born he immediately walked seven steps forward and a lotus flower bloomed under every his step.
Lan Anh, a local resident, writes her prayers for peace and happiness for herself, relatives, and friends before releasing a lotus-shaped lantern.
Thousands of people attend the ceremony at Phap Hoa Pagoda.
People wait for their turn to release lanterns.
The ritual begins at around 6:30 p.m. on May 19. Monks and nuns of the pagoda make thousands of lanterns to give to people.
The lantern releasing ceremony is organised to pray for national peace on the most important ceremony in the Buddhist calendar.
People stand along the canal watching the lanterns glowing bright in the night.
The lantern releasing ceremony has been held at Phap Hoa Pagoda annually since 2006 and is considered to be the largest in Ho Chi Minh City on Lord Buddha's birthday celebration.

Thousands of lanterns released to celebrate Lord Buddha’s birthday

(VOVWORLD) - Thousands of people gathered at Phap Hoa Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday in the largest lantern releasing ceremony to pray for peace on the occasion of Lord Buddha’s 2568th birthday.

VOV/Vietnamnet.vn