A coordination meeting between Panel of Patrons and Leading Committee for organizing the ceremony to confer religious titles for 2023 by the State Administration Council of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar took place at the meeting hall of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture in Nay Pyi Taw on 10 February. The Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, in his capacity as Chairman of the Panel of Patrons for Organizing the Religious Title Offering Ceremony attended the meeting and delivered a speech as follows:
- The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture as the leading committee is carrying out sector-wise tasks by forming a work committee and 12 subcommittees.
- The religious title conferring ceremony has been held since the times of ancient Myanmar kings. It is the highest national level ceremony annually held on a grand scale under the successive governments.
- In the ceremony of offering religious titles this year, the list to accept titles comprised 382 members of the Sangha at home and 21 Sayadaws abroad, totalling 403 in addition to 38 nuns.
- The list also consisted of 41 laypersons at home and one female abroad, totalling 42. Of them, seven persons would accept missionary titles and 35 persons, “Sasana Nuggaha” titles and female foreign title recipients, “Saddhamma Jotikadhaja” title.
- More significantly at this year’s ceremony, “Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru” and “Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika” titles were conferred on 10 late Venerable Sayadaws who were well-known in Pariyat and Patipat missionary works including Leti Sayadaw, Taung Myo Maha Ganthayon Sayadaw, Mogok Sayadaw, Mahasi Sayadaw, and Pali-Roman Sayadaw, who complied and imprinted PaliRoman words on the marble stone plaques to be kept at the stupas of the Buddha Park where the Maravijaya Buddha Image lies.
- At Sangha Yama monastery buildings and Naypyidaw City Development Committee Guest House where the national level Venerable Sayadaws, title recipient Sayadaws, and nuns at home will be staying, healthy and fresh meals must be offered to the Sayadaws and nuns. To do so, the health subcommittee needs to seek prior coordination.
- It is also necessary to provide medical checkups for Sayadaws and nuns and providing the required traditional and Western medicines in the rooms where they will be staying, keeping ambulances ready and fumigation to keep away mosquitoes and insects are also necessary in advance.
- It is required to take special care in holding the national-level ceremony with security awareness and knowledge.
Also present were Union ministers, chairman Nay Pyi Taw Council, deputy ministers, Nay Pyi Taw Council members, deputy commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command, permanent secretaries, directors-general and officials.
Source: MWD (11.2.2023)
- In the ceremony of offering religious titles this year, the list to accept titles comprised 382 members of the Sangha at home and 21 Sayadaws abroad, totalling 403 in addition to 38 nuns.
- The list also consisted of 41 laypersons at home and one female abroad, totalling 42. Of them, seven persons would accept missionary titles and 35 persons, “Sasana Nuggaha” titles and female foreign title recipients, “Saddhamma Jotikadhaja” title.