Crowded pagodas on festival day

Vietnamese Buddhist monks, nuns and followers across the country offered incense to the Buddha on September 3 – the full-moon day of the seventh lunar month – to repent their sins and keep their souls pure.
Traditionally, the Vietnamese people celebrate the Vu Lan festival on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month to show their deep gratitude to their ancestors. This year, the festival falls on September 3.
Today, Quan Su pagoda in Hanoi was more colourfully decorated than usual. Besides the national flag flying high in the front yard of the pagoda, the Buddha’s flags were hoisted on either side of the main gate and slogans illustrating the Buddha’s teachings were posted on the premises.
Monks and nuns stayed busy serving pilgrims from Hanoi and nearby provinces. They distributed brochures to the pilgrims encouraging them not to burn votive papers on the festive day to save money and keep the environment cleaner.
Tran Quoc pagoda – another sacred destination for Buddhist followers in Hanoi – was also decorated with colourful Buddhist slogans such as “Respecting Father” and “Repaying His Kindness”
As this year’s Vu Lan festival did not fall on a weekend, pilgrims came to the pagoda very early in the morning. Duong Thi Hien from Hanoi was among them.
“I had to go and visit my parents in my hometown yesterday - National Day. Consequently, I went to the pagoda very early this morning so I could return to work on time,” said Hien. “We believe the Buddha will hear our prayers and pardon us for our daily offences. This is a chance to teach our children about life.”
Meanwhile, Phuc Khanh pagoda in Hanoi was packed with followers who came to attend a mass requiem for more than 200 of their dead relatives. They hoped that the mass would help their dead relatives be released from the afterlife.
As this year’s Vu Lan festival did not fall on a weekend, pilgrims came to the pagoda very early in the morning. Duong Thi Hien from Hanoi was among them.
“I had to go and visit my parents in my hometown yesterday - National Day. Consequently, I went to the pagoda very early this morning so I could return to work on time,” said Hien. “We believe the Buddha will hear our prayers and pardon us for our daily offences. This is a chance to teach our children about life.”
Meanwhile, Phuc Khanh pagoda in Hanoi was packed with followers who came to attend a mass requiem for more than 200 of their dead relatives. They hoped that the mass would help their dead relatives be released from the afterlife.