On 2022 Magha Puja Day, marking Wat Phra Dhammakaya’s 52nd anniversary, the Virtual International Magha Puja Ceremony is organized by lighting one million lanterns in homage to the Buddha and planting one million trees to enhance green environment. The monks throughout the world jointly chant, meditate and spread loving kindness to everyone for the world peace and safety from COVID-19.
On 16 February 2022, Venerable Phrakrusamu Sanitwong Wuttiwangso, Director of Communication Department, stated that the online Magha Puja ceremony included one million lantern lighting ceremony in homage to the Buddha and the global Sangha community jointly chant, meditate and spread the loving kindness for the world peace and people throughout the world to be protected from COVID-19.
The event began at 9.30 a.m. with a meditation session and food offering ceremony. In the evening, the highlights were the lighting ceremony of one million lanterns, the circumambulation of Dhammakaya Cetiya by the monks and the Dhammacakka chanting celebration. All attendees must show the proof of COVID-19 vaccination or the negative result of Antigen Test Kit (ATK), taken within the last 72 hours from a certified medical center. Additionally, all guests were required to follow strictly the COVID-19 free measures by keeping social distancing and wearing face mask all the time during the ceremony while most Buddhists around the world joined the ceremony via Zoom.
“2022 Magha Puja Day marks the 52nd anniversary of Wat Phra Dhammakaya. The temple has remained true to its ideal throughout its history : “To build a temple to be a true temple, cultivate monks to be true monks, and develop people to be virtuous people.” From 19 February 2020 to the present, Wat Phra Dhammakaya has continued to assist those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by donating more than 300,000 items such as medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), consumer products, rice & dry food, emergency survival packages, and knockdown beds. Moreover, we have offered the necessities to more than hundred thousand monks and distributed 17,420 relief supply bags to the flood victims in 2021. Wat Phra Dhammakaya continues to prioritize environmental preservation and protection by using candles, made of natural materials and planting over one million perennials, flowers, and ornamental plants in order to adjust the landscape to be more shady, increase the amount of oxygen, and reduce the levels of pollutants emitted into the air.” said Ven. Phrakrusamu Sanitwong.
