The Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha of Thua Thien Hue province mourns General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Photo: VOV

At Yen Tu Pagoda, monks, nuns, and Buddhists offered incense and flowers to commemorate President Ho Chi Minh, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and heroic martyrs.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Tai, a resident of Quang Ninh province, told VOV: “The commemoration ceremony for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and the gratitude ceremony for heroic martyrs organized by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Quang Ninh province at Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Monastery is a very meaningful and humane thing to do and has won people’s heart. The image of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong lives forever in the hearts of the Vietnamese people.”

The Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Thua Thien Hue province has set up an altar to honor General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at Tu Dam Ancestral Temple. Many monks, nuns, Buddhists and non-religious people came to pay their respects to the Party leader.

“The passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a huge loss for the country and leaves the people with endless grief. The General Secretary worked for the Fatherland and the Vietnamese people and steered Vietnam to extremely brilliant achievements,” said Le Quang Cu, a Buddhist mourner. 

Memorial ceremony for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at Ngoc Xa Loi Buddha Pagoda, Tan Ngai Ward, Vinh Long City. Photo: VOV

Also on Thursday, at the Ngoc Xa Loi Buddha Pagoda, a memorial ceremony for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was opened for mourners. Venerable Son Ngoc Huynh, Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Vinh Long province, in charge of Khmer Theravada Buddhism, said: “The General Secretary was a devoted person, who devoted his entire life serving the people and the country. He has passed away, leaving behind endless grief for everyone in Vietnam and for the people of Vinh Long province in particular.”

In Soc Trang province, Khmer people expressed their condolences upon hearing of the death of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. Venerable Son Phuoc Loi, abbot of O Chum Aram Prek Chek Pagoda, affirmed the great contributions of Party leader Trong to changes in ethnic minority areas. 

“General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was a noble person and people of all 54 ethnic groups love him. During his terms in office, the country in general and the life of the Khmer people have prospered,” Loi said.