Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the service was slimmed down to the participation of only 30 monks and nuns, but the rituals were still conducted in full, including the reading of the Supreme Patriarch’s message.
This year, the Buddha’s birthday is marked with a message of solidarity, social consensus and cultural identity protection.
The celebrations took place in a time when the coronavirus remains a concern, therefore the number of attendees was limited and participants had to sanitise their hands, wear masks and keep a safe distance from each other.
Tam Chuc, one of the largest Buddhist temples in Vietnam, reopened to the public on April 28 following the end of the social distancing period.
Pilgrims and visitors to the temple must wear masks and have their body temperatures checked.
