Warm holiday season

Head Monk Thuong Tam Thanh - Head of the Cao Dai Holy See of Tay Ninh delivered the opening speech of the ceremony.

The Dieu Tri Palace Banquet Festival is one of the most important festivals for Cao Dai followers. Not only that, in recent years, the Dieu Tri Palace Banquet Festival has also become a festival for Tay Ninh people, attracting many people from all over to come here to worship and visit.

This year, there were 117 booths from parishes across the country attending the grand ceremony - this is a special feature of the Dieu Tri Palace Banquet. Notably, there was the participation of a booth from the parish of Prek Chrey commune, Kos Thom district, Kandal province (Kingdom of Cambodia).

Each booth is decorated by followers in many different shades and forms. From the skillful hands of artisans, vegetables, tubers, fruits, flowers and leaves become sparkling and sophisticated works of art. 117 exhibition booths are 117 unique shades, with specialties, cakes, fruits of each region... making everyone admire and admire.

Mr. Tang Ngoc The Cuong, who works at Hau Giang Pharmaceutical Enterprise, attended the Dieu Tri Palace Banquet for the first time. He was overwhelmed by the cakes, fruits, and ornamental flowers offered at Bao An Temple. “I have an acquaintance in Tay Ninh, but this is the first time I have attended a ceremony at the Holy See. I was really impressed with the exhibition booths, everyone was so skillful. And I was also surprised by the number of people coming here to attend the ceremony, it was so crowded. Although I don’t understand much about the meaning of religion, I found it very interesting, I think I will come again next year,” said Mr. Cuong.

Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Duc Trong praised the positive contributions of the Cao Dai Holy See of Tay Ninh and the entire religion in recent times.

This year's Yao Chi Palace Banquet not only attracted tens of thousands of believers, but also many groups of visitors and pilgrims from provinces and cities at home and abroad to attend.

According to the Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Vo Duc Trong, the appeal of the festival is due to the roots of Cao Dai religion, which is oriented towards the national origin, containing many moral values that are not only meaningful in terms of spirituality but also have positive meanings in life. "It is the respect, cherishing and wishing for an increasingly better life," Mr. Vo Duc Trong emphasized.

Before the grand Banquet ceremony at 10pm, there will be a procession of the Buddha's Mother and the Nine Fairies, a performance of the Four Sacred Animals, and an ethnic music band. This is the part that everyone is most looking forward to and excited about. The performances will take place from Bao An Temple to the Holy See and through the East and West stands.

Leaders of Military Region 7, Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee and the Head of the Cao Dai Holy See Church visited the exhibition booths.

Through the skillful hands of the artisans, works of art have been created to offer to the Buddha Mother.

Exhibition booths at Bao An Tu come from domestic parishes.

From 3 p.m., many Cao Dai followers and tourists from all over the world were present and lined up to watch the performances. Ms. Huynh Thi Thanh (Ward 3, Tay Ninh City) said that although she has lived in Tay Ninh for 30 years, she has never seen a dragon incense performance.

“A few years ago, I also went but was late and couldn’t get in because of traffic jams. This year, I was determined to go early to “see it at all costs”. So I was there at 3pm and sat in the front yard of the Temple to wait and watch. As a local, seeing people from far away coming here makes me very proud, proud of the religion, of the humane and moral qualities of Cao Dai religion in Tay Ninh,” Ms. Thanh shared.

Many people came early to wait to watch the lion dance and dragon dance performances.

Children carry lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Ceremony music.

Incense Dragon - the most anticipated performance at the ceremony.

The Buddha's mother and the Nine Fairies are carried through the Temple.

Ms. Tran Thi Gai (An Minh, Kien Giang ) and her fellow believers went from the 12th day of the lunar calendar to the Holy See. Preparing for the worship time at 6 pm, although it was drizzling, Ms. Gai and many other fellow believers were not afraid, everyone had put on raincoats and waited for the ceremony time. “Since the epidemic, I have gone twice. August is the rainy season, so every year I go it rains, but I go to visit Thay and Mother so I am not afraid of the rain and wind. I always believe that Thay and Mother will bestow blessings on all humanity. Up here, I stay at the Holy See Hospital. In the past few days, the church has taken care of everything, even if someone is sick. Everyone who goes to the ceremony only has to worry about the transportation fee to get here,” Ms. Gai shared with a smile.

A great holiday season ends with much joy and faith in the good things that await. Returning to normal life, everyone vows to continue doing good deeds, living a “good life and good religion” as called by the Church, so that next year they can continue to bring good results to their Parents.

Ngoc Dieu

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