Vesak Day

Each major religion in Singapore is allowed by the government to choose two of its holidays to become public holidays. This past Friday was a Buddhist holiday, Vesak Day.  According to a website about Singapore public holidays, Vesak Day is the most important day of the year for Buddhists, as they celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha, the prophet who founded Buddhism  On Vesak Day worshipers bring offerings of flowers, candles, and incense to statues of Buddha in the temples.  Also, "Buddhists believe that performing good deeds on Vesak Day will multiply merit, and it is often a day when Buddhist youth organize mass blood donations at hospitals and other Buddhists perform acts of generosity that can include releasing of caged birds and animals, taking goods to the poor and needy, and making gifts to charity." Some Buddhists are also involved in a ritual in which they travel in a procession to a temple, and "devotees take steps on both knees, bowing at every third step as they pray for world peace, personal blessings, and repentance."  

A week and a half before Vesak Day, an enormous tent was set up across the street from the block of buildings where we live.  People worked there for the next week to prepare for Vesak Day celebrations.  We even received a postcard in our door, inviting us to join the Buddhists in their celebration.  The postcard says, "On Vesak Day, Buddhists give praise to the wisdom of our Lord Buddha and our gratitude to His unlimited great compassion." (Wow...how about the wisdom of the Lord God, and our gratitude for HIS great compassion?!!)  We were invited to visit the celebration site or join the Buddhists to pray at any time during the week.  We were also invited to join them in a two-hour "chant for peace" on Friday night.

What follows are some pictures of the celebration site.

The site was well-lit at night, with festive lights 

strung all down the street, far past the tents.

This shows how deeply entrenched Buddhism is in Asia--Buddhists were celebrating Vesak Day over 500 years before Christ was born!

Some themes that apparently play a large role in Buddhism

This sidewalk was put in special for the celebration also--it is usually just a big open field.

Look at all those oranges!  Oranges are a big thing in Chinese culture, and we often see them placed in front of idols as offerings.  They are thought to symbolize wealth, prosperity, and luck.

You may have noticed that one of the signs at the celebration site referred to "The Way." We as Christians know THE WAY--Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. What a wonder that God chose us, to give us salvation through Him!