On the evening of May 24, a ceremonial procession featuring the infant Buddha statue, accompanied by 16 flower palanquins and thousands of participants, departed from An Quang Pagoda and made its way to Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda for the sacred Buddha bathing ceremony.

The event officially opened the Vesak celebration week organized by the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Procession groups gathered on Su Van Hanh Street outside An Quang Pagoda from 7 p.m., following a route through Su Van Hanh, Ngo Gia Tu, the Nga Bay roundabout, the extended Le Hong Phong Boulevard, 3/2 Street and finally Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda.

The procession stretched hundreds of meters, illuminated by colorful flags, lanterns and floral displays. My Tam, a resident of Tan Phu Ward, said she felt fortunate to join the procession for the first time.

The ceremonial march honoring the birth of the Buddha moved reverently through the streets under the watch of thousands of people lining both sides of the road.

Many worshippers stood with palms pressed together, chanting “Namo Shakyamuni Buddha” as the solemn procession passed by amid the sounds of bells and Buddhist prayers echoing through the night.

After about an hour, the procession arrived at Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda, where the traditional Buddha bathing ritual was held.

Venerable Thich Le Trang, Vice Chairman of the Executive Council and head of the Ho Chi Minh City chapter of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, presided over the ceremony.

The Buddha bathing ritual is based on the legend of two Dragon Kings spraying streams of warm and cool water to bathe Prince Siddhartha at birth.

The statue carried in the procession was an infant Jade Buddha sculpture carved from a single block of Hetian jade, also known as “mutton fat white jade,” sourced from Kazakhstan. Following the ceremony, the sacred statue will remain enshrined in the main hall of Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda for one week.

Long lines of worshippers later formed to take part in the Buddha bathing ritual, expressing reverence and joy in commemorating the birth of Siddhartha Gautama more than 2,600 years ago.

Vesak is not only a commemoration of the three pivotal events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha - birth, enlightenment and passing into nirvana - but also a global spiritual and cultural celebration where people are encouraged to reflect on the universal Buddhist values of compassion, wisdom and peace.

Nguyen Hue