Speaking at the service, the Most Venerable Thich Le Trang said the requiem, which is held for three days, is expected to help soothe the grief of those who lost their loved ones due to coronavirus.
It is also an opportunity for people to sit together and meditate during Ullambana, a major Buddhist festival to offer solace to the spirits of the dead.
As part of the ceremony, a tablet dedicated to the people killed by COVID-19 will be erected at the Viet Nam Quoc Tu Temple.
On the occasion, the executive board of Ho Chi Minh City’s Buddhist congregation donated 1 billion VND (over 42,000 USD) to the city’s fund for the poor and presented 1,000 gifts to the disadvantaged families hit by COVID-19.
