61st graduation ceremony: Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture holds event

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture organized the 61st graduation ceremony at the MahaPathana Cave on Thiri Mingalar Kaba Aye hillock in Yangon on Wednesday. The ceremony was graced by Sayadaws and monks led by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Chairman Presiding Sayadaw of Bhamo Monastery Dr. Bhaddanta Kumara Biwunsa, Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U KoKo, Yangon Region Chief Minister U SoeThein and wife, regional ministers, officials and well-wishers. 

At the ceremony, the congregations took the Five Precepts from the Bhamo monastery Presiding Sayadaw. Later, the Bhamo monastery Presiding Sayadaw Dr. Bhaddanta Kumara Biwunsa read out TharaniyaOvadaGatha” and the Union Minister supplicated religious affairs.

The Union Minister, the Yangon Region Chief Minister, the Regional Ministers and officials conferred certificates to the monks who passed DhammaSariya, PaliPahtamaPyan and Nikal exams with honours, nuns and laypersons who passed Abhidhamma and Vithokedhi Mat.The congregations then listened to the religious sermons preached by Vice Chairman Sayadaw of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Presiding Sayadaw of ThihoPariyatti Monastery in Kyaukme and shared the merits gained.

The Union Minister, the Yangon Region Chief Minister and officials also donated offertories and conferred graduation certificates. 269 monks, 31 nuns and 9 laypersons, totaling 309 attended the graduation ceremony.