Thousands join lantern floating ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City for Vesak Day
The lantern floating ceremony takes place annually as part of Vesak Day to pray for peace and prosperity for Vietnam and its people
Ho Chi Minh City pagodas, streets festooned with colorful lanterns, flags in preparation for Buddha’s Birthday
Buddha’s Birthday is an important annual Buddhist event
Vietnamese Buddhists solemnly observe Buddha’s Birthday
This year’s ceremonies were very different from previous ones because of the COVID-19 pandemic
10,000 Buddhists attend mass prayer during UN Day of Vesak 2019 in Vietnam
More than 40,000 lanterns shaped like lotus flowers illuminated the night during the celebrations
UN Day of Vesak 2019 kicks off in northern Vietnam
The 16th UN Day of Vesak runs from May 12 to 14, attended by over 20,000 Vietnamese and 1,650 international delegates
Buddhist statues at Hanoi pagoda vandalized en masse
Sixteen of the 18 Arhat statues on display in the pagoda’s garden were partially destroyed
$8.6mn complex for Buddhist events to open in northern Vietnam
The complex is originally dedicated to worshipping a respected Vietnamese king who followed Buddhism
Vietnamese people are friendly yet hurried: US professor
An American history professor, who is also a devout Buddhist, is impressed by the unique Vietnamese culture, Buddhism and amiable Vietnamese people, whom she also finds to be always in a hurry