Hội Yến Diêu Trì (Holy Banquet for Great Mother and the Nine Goddesses), a great religious ceremony of

Cao Dai Caodaism ( vi, Đạo Cao Đài, Chữ Hán: ) is a monotheistic syncretic new religious movement officially established in the city of Tây Ninh in southern Vietnam in 1926. The full name of the religion is (The Great Faith or theThird Uni ...

, is annually held in

Tây Ninh Tây Ninh () is a provincial city in south-eastern Vietnam. It is the capital of Tây Ninh Province, which encompasses the town and much of the surrounding farmland. Tây Ninh is approximately to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's la ...

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of R ...

on the 15th of the eighth lunar month.Tạp chí dân tộc học - Issue 102 1999 - Page 37 "Xen Xét các Sinh hoạt lễ hội của đạo Cao Đài (như hội Yến Diêu Trì cúng vào dịp rằm tháng 8 âm lịch hàng năm tại Tòa thánh Tây Ninh chẳng hạn...), người ta thấy Ỗ đấy đậm đà những màu Sắc LHDG .." This coincides with the

Tết Trung Thu Tết Trung Thu (Chữ Hán: 節中秋) is a traditional Vietnamese festival held from the night of the 14th of the 8th lunar month to the end of the 15th of the 8th lunar month (Rằm tháng Tám). Despite its Chinese origin, recently this fest ...

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

. Most Caodaiists choose to go on a pilgrimage to Tay Ninh Holy Land on this day.

Origin

Hội Yến Diêu Trì originated in an event in 1925 when

Cao Quỳnh Cư Cao Quỳnh Cư (1888–1929) was one of the founder figures of the Vietnamese religion Cao Đài, participating with Phạm Công Tắc and Cao Hoài Sang in the first Hội Yến Diêu Trì to Đạo Mẫu in 1925.Serguei A. Blagov Caodaism: Vi ...

Phạm Công Tắc Hộ Pháp ("Defender of the Doctrine", commonly translated as "Pope") Phạm Công Tắc (1890–1959) was an important leader in the establishment and development of the Cao Đài religion, founded in 1926.Philippe M. F. Peycam -''The Birth of V ...

and

Cao Hoài Sang Cao Hoài Sang (1901–1971) was one of the founder figures of the Vietnamese religion Cao Đài, participating in the first Hội Yến Diêu Trì Hội Yến Diêu Trì (Holy Banquet for Great Mother and the Nine Goddesses), a great religious ce ...

, through spirit communications, could contact with many spirit entities. First, they got messages from their deceased relatives, then the

Goddesses A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

, and eventually

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

. Instructed by God, they had a vegetarian meal to entertain Great Mother (Mẫu) and the Nine Goddesses. At present, a great annual religious ceremony is held to commemorate it.

Ceremony

The ceremony is held in The Temple of Acknowledgment, which has been temporarily used as The Temple of Great Mother. There are many religious activities on this occasion in Tay Ninh Holy See. * There is a procession of carriages decorated with flowers, traditional lion dances and Caodaiists in the area of the Holy See. * This is also a festival for women with vegetarian cooking competitions. * Children, too, attend a lantern competition and receive moon cakes, for this day coincides with the Tết Trung Thu. * Especially and solemnly, the service to worship Great Mother and the Nine Goddesses takes place at midnight.

Religious significance

Cao Dai believers are taught that Hội Yến Diêu Trì contains an esoteric practice that helps them to achieve their goal – to liberate themselves from the cycle of birth and death.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoi Yen Dieu Tri Caodaism Religion in Vietnam Religious festivals in Vietnam