RELIGIOUS titles were presented to honour the Buddhist monks, nuns and lay devotees for 2020 on the Full Moon Day of Tabaung yesterday at the Sasana Maha Beikman in Uppatasanti Pagoda compound, Nay Pyi Taw.
President U Win Myint and First Lady Daw Cho Cho, and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led the congregation to present honorary titles and offertories.
The ceremony was opened with a religious song that extolled the virtues of Buddha.
After the congregation took the five moral precepts, they listened to the religious advice of a senior monk.
President U Win Myint presented the title of Abhidhaja Maharattha Guru and other requisites to the presiding monk of Chaungdawn monastery in Myingyan Township.
The State Counsellor also conferred the title of Abhidhaja Maharattha Guru on the leading monk of Pan Ngwe Yon monastery in Madauk Town, Nyaunglebin Township.
Vice President U Myint Swe and Vice President U Henry Van Thio presented similar titles to the renowned senior monks.
Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, Union Chief of Justice U Htun Htun Oo, Commander in Chief Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Chairman of Constitutional Tribunal of the Union U Myo Nyunt offered Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika titles and accessories to the monks.
Then, the senior officials from the executive, legislative and judiciary sectors donated respective religious titles to the monks.
The First Lady and the wives of Vice Presidents, together with senior government officials, and the wives of senior military officers presented the titles to the honouarable monks.
The President, the State Counsellor, the wives of Vice Presidents and the spouses of senior government officials presented honorary religious titles to the lay devotees for their contributions in welfare of communities.
After the titles had been conferred, President U Win Myint and the congregation shared merits, followed by giving alms to the Buddha monks.
For 2020, religious titles were conferred on 322 monks, 24 nuns, 50 male devotees and 91 female devotees.
MNA
(Translated by Aung Khin)
PHOTO: MNA
Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar