HCM City memorial ceremony honours fallen heroes and patriotic martyrs

Incense smoke drifted quietly across the park, a place where few visitors today realise that beneath the ground lies the memory of a painful yet heroic chapter of Vietnam’s history. Buddhist dignitaries, city leaders, veterans, and local residents gathered to offer incense and pay tribute to those who gave their lives for the peace enjoyed today.

According to Venerable Thich Thanh Phong, vice chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and standing deputy head of the Sangha’s Ho Chi Minh City chapter, the ceremony holds profound significance as an act of gratitude and remembrance for generations who sacrificed for the country.

Recalling the losses suffered during the 1968 Tet Offensive and General Uprising, the Venerable described the event as both tragic and heroic, serving as a reminder to younger generations of the value of peace, independence, and the responsibility to preserve the achievements won through immense sacrifice.

Beyond its spiritual significance, the memorial ceremony also highlighted an ongoing humanitarian effort that has gained momentum in recent years - the search, recovery, and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains.

In recent years, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Ho Chi Minh City has worked closely with local authorities in efforts to locate, exhume, and identify martyrs through modern scientific methods. DNA analysis has successfully confirmed the identities of numerous fallen soldiers, enabling them to return to their families and hometowns after decades of separation.

“Those efforts provide an opportunity for them to return to their comrades, their homeland, and the embrace of family members who have waited for many years,” Venerable Thich Thanh Phong said.

For many participants, the ceremony was not only an occasion to honour the deceased but also a powerful lesson about patriotism and national tradition.

Phan Xuan Hoai, a 73-year-old veteran whose elder brother was killed in service, said he was deeply moved by the nationwide campaign to search for and identify martyrs’ remains. In his view, the work reflects not only the responsibility of the State but also the enduring Vietnamese tradition of gratitude toward those who came before.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Thuong attended the ceremony with her 17-year-old daughter, hoping to help younger generations understand that today’s peaceful life was built upon the sacrifices of countless individuals.

“I want my daughter to understand why we have the life we enjoy today, so that she can value peace, remember her roots, and live with a greater sense of responsibility toward the country,” she told VOV.

Following the memorial service, additional Buddhist rituals were conducted under the theme of “Gratitude, Remembrance, and Returning to Our Roots.”

Amid the fast-paced rhythm of a modern metropolis, the ceremony served as a reminder that historical memory has never truly faded. Each stick of incense lit during the event symbolised not only remembrance for those who have passed away, but also the preservation of gratitude, connecting the past with the present and the future.

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