Speakingat the ceremony, Monsignor Thuong Tam Thanh, Chief of the Cao Dai Tay NinhChurch’s Executive Council, thanked the Party, State, the Vietnam FatherlandFront (VFF) and provincial leaders for creating favourable conditions for thechurch to operate in line with the country’s law.
He saidthe church has to date attracted over 3 million followers with 402 temples and163 places of worship in 39 cities and provinces nationwide.
Vice President and Secretary Generalof the VFF Central Committee Hau A Lenh affirmed that Caodaism followers haveupheld the spirit of patriotism and solidarity to fight invaders and protectthe country over the past 95 years.
Since national reunification,Cao Dai sects and the Cao Dai Tay Ninh church in particular have abided by Partypolicies and State laws, and taken part in national patriotism movements andcampaigns launched by the VFF Central Committee.
The church has made practicalcontributions to social welfare such as opening medical clinics for the poor,building houses, giving relief aid to natural disaster victims, providingsupport for the homeless, and joining the new-style rural area buildingcampaign.
A number of Caodaismdignitaries and followers have voluntarily dedicated land for road and schoolconstruction with a total value of over 100 billion VND (4.34 million USD) overthe past five years.
Lenh expressed his hope thatCaodaists and Cao Dai Tay Ninh dignitaries in particular will continueupholding the power of great national unity, joining the campaigns “All peopleunite to build new-style rural areas, civilised urban areas”, “Vietnamesepeople prioritise Vietnamese goods” aswell as the emulation campaign “Solidarity and creativity,improving productivity, quality, efficiency, and international integration”,and a programme on upholding the role of religions in environmental protectionand climate change response.
Caodaismworships the Divine Eye, known as the eye of heaven and a symbol of the supremeleader./.