Buddha’s sacred relics inspire mass pilgrimage to Hanoi temple

Devotees from all walks of life flocked to Quan Su Pagoda to witness a historic spiritual event.

W-Anh 9.jpg — Many had arrived the night before and camped on the sidewalks of Quan Su Street to secure a place in line for the rare spiritual event.

From as early as 5 a.m., thousands of people gathered at Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi to pay homage to the sacred relics of the Buddha – a national treasure of India.

Trinh Thi Lan, 57, from Phu Luong District in Thai Nguyen Province, brought bedding and arrived with a group of 26 people at noon the previous day. They came to attend the grand procession that welcomed the sacred relics to Quan Su Pagoda and paraded them around Hoan Kiem Lake.

By 5 a.m. on May 14, a sea of worshippers lined up outside Quan Su Pagoda for the rare opportunity to venerate the Buddha’s relics.

"My greatest wish in offering my respects to the sacred relics is for happiness, warmth, and peace across the world, and for my family to be safe and happy," Lan shared.

The streets of Quan Su, Ly Thuong Kiet, and Tran Hung Dao were packed with people. Security forces managed traffic to ensure smooth entry for the visitors.

At exactly 6 a.m., the gates of Quan Su Pagoda opened, allowing the faithful to enter and pay their respects.

La Van Long from Bac Giang Province queued early with his family to experience the sacred moment.

Nguyen Thi Nha from sub-area 7 in Phu Yen Town, Son La Province, left home at 10 a.m. the previous day and arrived at the pagoda by 3:30 a.m. "Upon hearing that the sacred relics were brought from India, I felt compelled to come early to venerate and pray for blessings, peace for my family, and spiritual guidance for all beings. I was fortunate to complete three full rounds and felt incredibly fulfilled," she said.

A long stream of worshippers stretched along Quan Su Street, many holding images of Shakyamuni Buddha as a gesture of reverence.

Among the crowd eager to venerate the relics were many young people.

Do Thi Thanh Huong (Dharma name Dieu Duyen), currently living in Lao Cai, was among the fortunate few who had the chance to venerate the relics during the night. She traveled to Hanoi on May 12 to attend the Vesak celebration and pay her respects, believing this to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Yesterday afternoon, Huong stood on Vo Chi Cong Street to welcome the sacred relics as they were brought from Noi Bai Airport to Quan Su Pagoda. At 11 p.m., she took a bus to the pagoda to line up early and was unexpectedly granted the chance to venerate the relics ahead of time.

"To be able to venerate the sacred relics – a national treasure of India – brings us immense joy. We are deeply grateful to the Party, the government, and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha for fostering such strong international ties that have enabled this meaningful occasion for Vietnamese Buddhists," Huong expressed.

At the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Palace, the line of devotees stretched all the way from the pagoda, patiently awaiting their turn to venerate the relics.

Barriers were set up along the pathways by the organizers to maintain order and prevent chaos.

An Vui, part of a group of 50 Buddhists from Phuc Long Pagoda (Vinh Quynh, Thanh Tri District), said she felt deeply moved to be able to venerate the sacred relics of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The relics are currently enshrined at the central hall of Quan Su Pagoda, where followers from near and far can offer their respects.

Worshippers were ushered in one by one to witness the sacred relics displayed at the heart of the temple.

A close-up view of the Buddha's relics was also provided for visitors.

The relics will remain at Quan Su Pagoda for public veneration from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day through May 16. On the morning of May 17, they will be transported to Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam Province and enshrined at the Tam The Hall until noon on May 20.