Military officers bring the ashes of COVID-19 victims to hand over to their families. — Photo from the Sóc Trăng Province Military Command

HÀ NỘI — Buddhist temples and establishments across Việt Nam will ring their bells, light candles, offer incense and pray for those who died from COVID-19 at 8pm this Friday (November 19), in coordination with a national requiem for the pandemic victims.

The request was made by the Standing Board of the Việt Nam Buddhist Sangha (VBS)'s Executive Council.

The standing board also asked VBS chapters in provinces and centrally-run cities to hold requiems for COVID-19 victims based on local conditions and in compliance with pandemic prevention rules.

The Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee plans to organise a requiem for those who lost their lives to COVID-19, which will begin at 8pm on November 19.

More than 23,180 people have died from COVID-19 in Việt Nam as of November 15, with deaths on the rise again hitting three digits on the heels of reopening and surge in cases, after subsiding in October.

Almost all COVID-19 deaths in Việt Nam occurred in the severe fourth wave of infections starting in late April, with the southern region – and HCM City at the epicentre – suffering the most.

The requiem aims to share the pain and loss suffered by tens of thousands of families who have lost their loved ones to the pandemic, the VFF Central Committee said, adding that this is also an opportunity to promote the tradition of great solidarity and the will of the nation to overcome difficulties, adapt safely and flexibly and effectively control the COVID-19 pandemic, and restore production and business and socio-economic development.

VFF has sent documents to leaders of religious organisations in the country to join in the holding of activities to commemorate COVID-19 victims.

HCM City’s authorities have said they planned to have churches and temples ring their bells, and ships to sound their horns on the COVID-19 death commemoration day. — VNS