Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival 2024

On the morning of February 15 (January 6 of the year of the Dragon), at Tam Quan Noi, Bai Dinh Pagoda (Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District), the opening ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival of the Year of the Dragon 2024 took place. This is an event in a series of activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex being recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the only mixed heritage in Southeast Asia.

Attending the opening ceremony were comrades: Doan Minh Huan, member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Mai Van Tuat, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Pham Quang Ngoc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; comrades in the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee; leaders of the Provincial People's Committee; Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province; leaders of a number of departments, branches and sectors of the province.

On the side of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, there were Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Executive Council; the Executive Board of the Ninh Binh Provincial Buddhist Sangha, along with a large number of monks, nuns, Buddhists, and tourists from inside and outside the province.

Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival 2024 — The opening ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda is held on January 6 every year.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Permanent Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Abbot of Bai Dinh Pagoda, highlighted the great historical and cultural values of Bai Dinh Pagoda. Accordingly, the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda was built thousands of years ago, located right in the cave of Dinh Mountain - a famous place of the ancient capital Hoa Lu. This is the place chosen by King Quang Trung to perform the flag-raising ceremony, encouraging his soldiers before marching to Thang Long to defeat the invading Qing army.

Despite the ups and downs of history, the ancient Bai Dinh pagoda has been preserved by monks, Buddhist followers and people until today and forever. To promote the cultural values of Buddhism, contribute to building a peaceful and happy life for the people, as well as express gratitude to the ancestors who built the country, Bai Dinh pagoda has been expanded and newly built with traditional and majestic architecture. Therefore, the pagoda has become a famous spiritual tourist destination, a place to satisfy the spiritual beliefs of Buddhist followers, and at the same time is a testament to the concern for freedom of belief and religion of the Party and State of Vietnam.

The opening ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival is an important event in Vietnamese spiritual culture, held on the 6th of January every year, the festival lasts until the end of the 3rd lunar month. Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival consists of 2 parts: the ceremony and the festival with rituals performed such as: Offering incense, remembering the merits of the ancestors; chanting Buddha to pray for protection and national peace; the rituals of carrying the palanquin to the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda...

The opening ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda also impressed the locals and tourists with its culturally rich art programs, creating joy and excitement, praying for a new year of peace, luck and happiness for all. On the opening day, it attracted thousands of followers and tourists to visit and worship.

At the opening ceremony of Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival, Comrade Doan Minh Huan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, beat the drum; Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Permanent Vice President of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, Abbot of Bai Dinh Pagoda, rang the bell to officially open the 2024 Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival.

Next, provincial leaders, religious dignitaries, monks, nuns, Buddhists, and visitors from all over performed rituals of offering alms, offering incense to Buddha, and praying at the Patriarch's Palace, wishing for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and a new year of good health, success, prosperity, and happiness for everyone and every family.

Dao Hang - Minh Quang - Minh Duong

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