This marks the first time a sitting president has visited all three major Buddhist sects on Buddha's Birthday. It is also the first instance of a sitting presidential couple attending these ceremonies together.
On the morning of the celebration, President Lee and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung participated in the ceremony hosted by the Jogye Order at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul.
The ceremony brought together prominent Buddhist leaders, government officials, representatives of other faiths, and citizens to reflect on the compassion and light of Buddha, while wishing for peace and harmony.
During the event, President Lee lit a lamp and prayed for national peace and unity alongside Ven. Jinwoo, the head monk of the Jogye Order, and other attendees.
The ceremony was attended by over 10,000 participants, including Ven. Seongpa, the head of the Jogye Order, Ven. Jinwoo, and other dignitaries such as National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young.
From the Blue House, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and Senior Secretary Jeon Seong-hwan accompanied the president.
In his address, President Lee stated, "I will deeply engrave the spirit of 'won-yung-hwa-tong' (harmonizing different arguments into one) in my heart and overcome the crisis with united strength."
Following the ceremony, President Lee visited the Seoul Gwanmun Temple of the Cheontae Order, where he offered flowers at the main altar and shared a meal, according to Blue House spokesperson Kang Yoo-jeong.
The visit was intended to express gratitude for the Buddhist community's role in practicing compassion, sharing, and valuing life, while also sharing wisdom for national unity and social solidarity.
After offering flowers, the president and first lady engaged in conversation with Ven. Deok-soo, the head monk of the Cheontae Order, and enjoyed a meal featuring bibimbap, dried radish soup, and fried ginseng.
In the afternoon, President Lee attended the Taego Order's Buddha's Birthday ceremony at Cheongnyeonsa Temple in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province.
During the event, he lit a lamp alongside Ven. Sang-jin, the head monk of the Taego Order, while First Lady Kim offered tea at the altar.
In his speech, President Lee emphasized that the teachings of 'hwa-jang' (harmonizing different thoughts) and 'ja-ta-bul-i' (the idea that you and I are not separate) are the wisdom most needed in today's society.
Spokesperson Kang noted, "This is the first time a sitting president has visited all three major Buddhist sects on Buddha's Birthday, and it is also the first time a sitting presidential couple has visited these temples together."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.