Kathina Celebrations at Sri Sambuddha Buddhist Vihara in Liverpool

Annual Katina robe offering for the monks at the Sri Sambuddha Buddhist Vihara in Liverpool was held with the participation of a huge gathering of devotees on Sunday the 22nd November 2015 at Prescot Town Hall.

The ceremony had been gracefully organized under the guidance of the Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Gunawansa Nayaka Thero, the head of the Both Jethavana Vihara in Birmingham and Sri Sambuddha Vihara, and the Chief Sanganayaka in Great Britain for Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.

There were Venerable monks present from the various temples United Kingdom at the ceremony including. Venerable Mapalagama Soratha Thero and Ven. Beragama Piyarathana Thero from Jethawana Buddhist Vihara in Birmingham, Ven. Galpotyaye Pemananda Thero and Udunuwara Indarathana Thero from Kethumati Buddhist Vihara in Manchester, Venerable Theldeniyaye Amitha thero, Head Monk of Nottingham Shanti Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Saranasiri Thero from Leicester Buddhist Vihara, Ven. Thissapura Sugatharathana Thero and Ven. Kirigalpoththe Chandananda Thero from Sri Sambuddha viharaya in Liverpool.

The ceremony was started with the Buddha Pooja pinkama, which was conducted by ven. Kirigalpoththe Chandananda thero, followed by the Dhana offering conducted by ven. Galpothyaye Premananda thero.

The Kathina Robe was offered to the monks by the devotees with deep devotion and perehara reminding all participants the beauty and the religious atmosphere of a typical Kathina ceremony in a Sri Lankan Village. The nayaka Thero, Ven. Keppetiyagoda Gunawannsa, was conducted the offering of Katina robe.

After the offering of Katina robe, Dhamma Sermons delivered in English by Venerable Udunuwara Indarathana Thero and in Sinhala by, Venerable Teldeniyaye Amithha Thero and explaining the significance of offering a Kathina Robe.

Atapirikara, requisites for the monks and alms-giving were offered by the members and devotees of the Sri Sambuddha Vihara. Lunch and other refreshments were served to the devotees. This year's Kathina ceremony was sponsored mainly by Dr. Gunapala Welhengama and family members, and Mr. Ushan Wewalwala and family members. All the devotees of the temple and well wishers also joined together in sponsoring the Kathina ceremony.