The month-long veneration of the Buddha's relic across nine provinces and cities in Vietnam is an unprecedented spiritual event in the modern history of Vietnamese Buddhism, said Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, standing member of the Supreme Patronage Council and permanent vice president of the VBS Executive Council.

The Sarira of Lord Buddha, a sacred treasure of India, was received by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha from India and ceremoniously enshrined at Thanh Tam Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City as part of the 2025 UN Day of Vesak celebration taking place from May 6 to 8.

The Sarira was then enshrined at major places of worship in eight other localities, including Hanoi, Bac Giang, Quang Ninh, Ha Nam, and Da Nang, for public veneration. Quan The Am Pagoda in Da Nang was the last stop on the relic’s one-month journey in Vietnam, attracting approximately two million visitors.

At each stop, tens to hundreds of thousands of devotees lined up from early morning to late at night for a chance to behold and bow before the sacred relics. Many were visibly moved by the experience, regarding it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pay homage and pray for national peace, personal well-being, and spiritual insight. 

The ceremonies were marked by a solemn and tranquil atmosphere, with strong coordination between local authorities, pagoda organisers, and security forces, ensuring safety and order despite the massive crowds.

The Buddha’s Sarira was transported back to India on June 2.

Buddha’s sacred sarira returned to India after historic Vietnam pilgrimage

VOV.VN - After four days of enshrinement and public veneration, a solemn farewell ceremony for the sacred sarira of the Buddha was held on the afternoon of June 2 at Quan The Am Pagoda in Ngu Hanh Son district, central Da Nang city.