ASIA/VIETNAM - Vesak Festival: Buddhists and Christians together for a better world

Hanoi (Agenzia Fides) - The festival of Vesak, celebrated by Buddhists all over the world to commemorate the birth of Buddha, touches most Vietnamese people deeply. It is an opportunity for many of the country's citizens to look within themselves and learn the importance of an upward life that nourishes the spirit with purity and peace. As Buddhist monk Thich Giac Hien points out, "celebrations of Buddha's birthday also focus on compassion and wisdom, turning thought into action." During the week-long celebrations (May 8-15), Buddhists organized in activities and initiatives in all provinces and cities of the country, including flower-decoration processions and Buddhist music performances in public squares.
On the occasion of the 2566th birthday of Buddha, Bishop Alfonso Nguyen Huu Long
of the Diocese of Vinh visited the board of the Buddhist community (Sangha) in Nghe An Province and wished all the monks joy and happiness in the Buddhist spirit. The bishop also expressed the wish that all religions in the province increase their solidarity and continuously contribute to building a stronger unity. He recalled the message of the Patriarch of the Buddhist community of Vietnam, Thich Tri Quang, emphasizing the call to "follow the spiritual path that brings peace and happiness to all mankind". "Every person or organization has a responsibility to work for the happiness and peace of mankind," he said during the interfaith gathering, recalling that today the "Vesak" festival has become a religious festival for peace around the world to carry a message against war and for love, compassion and service to all living beings: "By behaving towards others in a spirit of compassion and harmony, we renew our collective commitment to building a better world", said the participants at the end of the interreligious meeting. (AD) (Agenzia Fides, 17/5/2022)

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