The Significance of the Ceremony

During the rainy season of each year, the Lord Buddha established the Buddhist discipline called Buddhist lent, during which every monk stayed overnight at the same temple for three lunar months to study and practice the Dhamma intensely.

After the end of the Buddhist lent, the Kathina Day festival is the next great festival to be held at each temple. All Buddhists believe that this is the biggest merit-making ceremony. The donation for Kathina Day is quite distinct from other kinds of donations due to the limitation of time to make it, within one lunar month after the end of Buddhist lent only once a year in each temple. Monks qualified to get the Kathina yellow robes have to keep staying overnight at the same temple three complete lunar months. Furthermore, the Kathina ceremony can only be held in a temple having at least five such monks.

Offering Kathina yellow robes can not be specified for individual monks but has to be done as a Sanghadana, an offering for the whole group of monks. Moreover, all monks in the ceremony have to complete the ritual of Kran Kathina within the same day.

Kathina Ceremony
Wat Pasantidhamma Virginia
Sunday, November 10, 2024
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Schedule

Saturday, November 9, 2029

04.00 p.m. Together at Dhammasala to prepare Kathina Ceremony
05.00 p.m. Chanting and meditation
05.30 p.m. The monks chant the Buddha’s blessing

Sunday, November 10, 2024

06.00 a.m. Chanting and meditation
07.00 a.m. Breakfast
09.00 a.m. Together at Dhammasala
10.00 a.m. The monks chant the Buddha’s blessing
10.30 a.m. The Alms-round, offering of food to the monks
11.15 a.m. Luch served to the monks and lunch beffet served to the guests
12.45 p.m. Kathina’s procession and Dhamma Talk by the Abbot
01.00 p.m. Sermon in Thai, offering of Kathina robes to the monks and blessing in Pali and Ceremony close.