He was joined by many central and provincial officials as well as tens of thousands of pilgrims from throughout the country, overseas Vietnamese and foreign visitors.
From the early morning, delegates gathered for a procession from the courtyard of the Hung Kings Temple complex through the Lower Temple and Middle Temple and culminating at the Upper Temple.
The procession carried flags, wreaths, incense, flowers and offerings to show respect for the Hung Kings.
At the Kinh Thien Palace on Nghia Linh Mountain, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Party and State leaders, and local officials offered incense and flowers to express their deep gratitude to the nation founders.
In an eulogy read at the ritual, Phu Tho Chairman Bui Van Quang extolled the virtues and merits of Hung Kings, who laid the foundation for prosperity of the country.
He noted that throughout history, generations of Vietnamese people have overcome great challenges by forging unity and bringing patriotism into play to create miracles in national construction and defence.
A procession at the Hung Kings Temple complex. (Photo: VGP) |
After offering incense to the Hung Kings, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh offered flowers at a relief depicting Uncle Ho talking with soldiers of the 308th Division at the Hung Kings Temple in 1954.
The incense-offering rite was the most important in a series of events within the Hung Kings Temple Festival and the Phu Tho Culture and Tourism Week 2024, which is taking place from April 9-18.
Earlier on April 17 night, pilgrims and local residents were treated to a fireworks display over the Van Lang Park Lake in Viet Tri City.