At the event, Most Venerable Thich Minh Hien, deputy head of the cultural department of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, acknowledged the martyrs’ heroic sacrifice for the sake of national independence and freedom. The Most Venerable said that the mass is to show Vietnamese people’s heartfelt gratitude towards soldiers who laid down their lives during the past wars of resistance.  

Vietnamese people celebrate the lunar Mid July Festival annually to express their gratitude towards their ancestors, including parents.