Wat Phra Dhammakaya welcomes the year 2022 by organizing a virtual New Year’s Eve overnight ceremony to chant, light lanterns, meditate and spread loving-kindness together as collective merit by year end to safeguard everyone on earth from COVID-19.
Venerable Phrakrusamu Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, Director of the Communication Department, stated that the New Year’s Eve event during 31 December 2021- 1 January 2022 from 19:00 hrs to 00.30 hrs (UTC+7) included these activities: New Year speech by the presiding monk, chanting by the Sangha community throughout the world, meditation to purify the mind, making a resolution, and dedication of merit to those who passed away from Covid-19.
At 23.30 hrs. by year end of 2021, there was a lighting ceremony using candles to create images of 3 Bases of Meritorious Action (generosity, precept observation and meditation) and the message ‘Happy New Year 2022. After the midnight countdown to 2022, there was a celebration to mark the 4,000,002,565 rounds of Dhammacakka chanted which was accompanied by striking the twin victory bells 65 times by Sangha representatives to welcome 2022 New Year. In addition to these meritorious events, everyone was invited to pay homage to the Maha Dhammakaya Cetiya, the cetiya of one million Buddhas, every day from 16:00 –20:00 hrs. All attendees were required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccinations or a negative self antigen test (ATK) taken within the last 72 hours from a medical center. The universal prevention measures against Covid-19 were strictly followed.” explained Ven. Phrakrusamu Sanitwong.
