A ceremony to confer religious titles and donation of rice for the year 2019 was held yesterday afternoon at the Sasana Maha Beikman in Uppatasanti Pagoda compound, Nay Pyi Taw.

The ceremony was attended by President U Win Myint and First Lady Daw Cho Cho, and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who presented the religious titles, donated rice and offerings.

First, the ceremony to confer religious titles was held and singer Sandar Lin of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, Department of Fine Arts sang a song honoring the ceremony accompanied by a Myanmar harp.

Next, President Win Myint, First Lady Daw Cho Cho, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and guests took the Five Precepts from the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Chairman Abhidhaja Maharattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Bhamo Sayadaw Dr. Bhaddanta Kumarabhivamsa.

Afterwards, Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sanddhaka of the Dakkhinayama Monastery in Sittway delivered a sermon and Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko supplicated religious affairs.

Religious titles were then conferred and President U Win Myint presented the Abhidhaja Maharattha Guru title and related accessories to Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sanddhaka of the Dakhinayama Monastery in Sittway and Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kavidarsara of the Dhamma Linkara Monastery in Thazi Township.

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi conferred the Abhidhaja Maharattha Guru title and accessories on Sayadaw Bhaddanta Dhamma Nanda of Sagaing Monastery in Thingangyun Township, Yangon Region, Sayadaw Bhaddanta Thumingalar Bhivamsa of Moethauk Monastery in Nyaungshwe Township, Shan State, and Sayadaw Bhaddanta Siddhiya of the Ponnya Neinmitayama Shwethuwun Monastery in Thingangyun Township, Yangon Region.

Vice President U Myint Swe conferred Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika title and accessories on Ven. Noi Sangvalo from Lao and Sayadaw of Bhaddanta Kovida of the Yadana Manaung Monastery in Twantay Township, Yangon Region.

Vice President U Henry Van Thio conferred Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika title and accessories on Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vijaya of the Satu Bonmika Maggin Monastery in Aungmyaythazan Township and Sayadaw Bhaddanta Tejaniya of the Kemar Thiwon Monastery in Pyinmana Township.

Afterwards, Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw Mahn Win Khaing Than conferred Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika title and accessories, and Chief Justice of the Union U Htun Htun Oo, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Chairman of the State Constitutional Tribunal U Myo Nyunt and Chairman of the Union Election Commission U Hla Thein conferred the Agga Maha Panditta titles and accessories on the title recipient Sayadaws.

Afterwards, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Comnader-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Deputy Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw U Tun Tun Hein, Deputy Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw U Aye Tha Aung, Union ministers, Union Attorney-General, Union Auditor General, the Chairman of Union Civil Service Board, the Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council, the Governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, the Chairman of Myanmar Human Rights Commission, the Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), the Commander of Nay Pyi Taw Command and deputy ministers conferred the Agga Maha Pandita; Agga Maha Gantha Vacaka Pandita, Maha Gandtha Vacaka Pandita, Maha Dhamma Kathika Bahujana Hitadhara, Dhamma Kathika Bahujana Hitadhara, Abhidaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika, Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja, Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja, Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja, Agga Maha Kammatthana Cariya, Maha Kammatthana Cariya and Kammatthana Cariya titles and accessories on the local and foreign recipient Sayadaws.

Afterwards, First Lady Daw Cho Cho conferred the Agga Maha Gantha Vacaka Pandita title and accessories on Nun Sayagyi Daw Hteri of the Khemayama Nunnery in Bahan Township; Maha Gantha Vacaka Pandita title and accessories on Nun Sayagyi Daw Guna Wadi of Zeya Theingi Nunnery in Sagaing and Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja title and accessories to Nun Sayagyi Daw Dhamma Theingi of the Dhamma Wari Nunnery in Insein Township.

Afterwards, Daw Khin Thet Htay, wife of Vice President U Myint Swe, Dr. Shwe Hlwan, wife of Vice President U Henry Van Thio, Nant Kyin Kyi, wife of Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker, Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and Daw Htay Yi, wife of State Constitutional Tribunal Chairman, conferred Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja, Maha Kamathana Cariya, Gantha Vacaka Pandita and Saddhamma Jotikadhaja titles and accessories to local and foreign nuns.

Afterwards, President U Win Myint conferred the Agga Maha Thiri Sudhamma Mani Jotadara title and accessories on three persons namely U Nanda of Mogok, U Tin Sein (a) U Ni Ni of Mayangon and U Kyaw Win of Sangyoung and Thiri Thudhamma Mani Jotadhara on two persons namely U Thein Han of Bahan and U Wai Lwin of Taunggyi.
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Afterwards, Vice President U Myint Swe conferred the Thiri Sudhamma Mani Jotadhara title and accessories on U Hla Htay of Mayangon, U Li Kyein Chan (a) U Hlyo Ar Pauk of Laukkai and U Myo Set of Mayangon; Thiha Sudhamma Mani Jotadhara title and accessories to U Chit Khaing of Dagon Myothit (North), and U Khin Win of Mawlamyine.

Vice President U Henry Van Thio conferred the Thiha Sudhamma Mani Jotadhara title and accessories on U Aung Than Sein of Kyimyindaing, U Kyaw Htay of Hline, U Myo Nyung of Pabedan, U Kyaw Zeya of Pobbathiri and U Hla Myint of Thakayta.

Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat, Speaker of Amyotha Hluttaw Mahn Win Khaing Than, Union Chief Justice U Htun Htun Oo and Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing conferred Thiha Sudhamma Mani Jotadhara and Shudhamma Mani Jotadhara titles and accessories to recipient persons.

Afterwards, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi conferred the Agga Maha Thiri Sudhamma Theingi title and accessories on Dr. Thin Thin of Mayangon, Daw San San Nwe of Kamayut, Daw Khaing Khaing Oo of Hline Township, Daw Nan Thet Su Hlaing Tun of Taunggyi and the Thiri Sudhamma Theingi title on Daw San San Wai (a) Daw San Wai of Chanaye Thazan Township and First Lady Daw Cho Cho conferred the title Thiri Sudhamma Theingi title and accessories to Kholon Lishaw ethnic woman Daw Win Myint of Thingangyun Township, Daw Myint Myint Than of Maha Aungmyay Township and Daw Htay Htay Aung of Chanayethazan, Daw Hla Yin Win and Daw Wai Wai Mon of Kamayut Township.
Afterwards, Daw Khin Thet Htay, wife of Vice President U Myint Swe, conferred the title Thiri Sudhamma Theingi and accessories on Naw Phaw Phaw of Myawady, Daw Marlar Myint of Bahan, Daw Moe Seint Seint Lin of Mayangon, Daw Thet Thet Naing of Kamayut and Daw Ei Thandar Bo of Bahan.

Dr. Shwe Hlwan, wife of Vice President U Henry Van Thio, conferred Thiri Sudhamma Theingi title and accessories on Daw Zay Zin Latt of Mayangon and Daw Theingi Lin of Bahan and Thiha Sudhamma Theingi title and accessories to Daw Nyunt Nyunt of South Okkalapa Township, Daw Hla Kyi (a) Daw Yi Myint of Pabedan Township and Daw Nwe Nwe of Shwebo.

Afterwards, Daw Yin May, wife of Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U T Khun Myat, Nant Kyin Kyi, wife of Amyotha Hluttaw Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Daw Htay Yi, wife of State Constitutional Tribunal U Myo Nyunt, Daw Aye Thida, wife of Chairman of Union Election Commission U Hla Thein, Daw Than Than Nwe, wife of Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Dr. Sein Sein Thein, wife of Pyithu Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Tun Tun Hein and Daw Thein Yin Chay, wife of Amyotha Hluttaw Deputy Speaker U Aye Tha Aung conferred the Thiha Sudhamma Theingi title and Sudhamma Theingi title and related accessories to recipient women.

Following the presentation, the congregation led by President U Win Myint and First Lady Daw Cho Cho, and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi listened a sermon delivered by Sayadaw Bhaddanta Sandima of Thanlyin Minkyaung Monastery and shared merit for the donations. In the evening a ceremony to donate rice and provisions was held and President U Win Myint and First Lady Daw Cho Cho, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi together with heads, staff and families from the Office of the President, Office of the Sate Counsellor, Office of the Union Government, Hluttaw, Union Supreme Court, Office of the Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief, Office of the Union Constitutional Tribunal, Office of the Union Election Commission, Union ministries, Union Attorney General’s Office, Union Auditor General’s Office, Union Civil Service Board Office, the Central Bank of Myanmar and the Nay Pyi Taw Council, religious title recipient persons, followers of religious title winner Sayadaws, religious and social organizations from townships in Nay Pyi Taw Council area, companies and donors donated rice and offertories to religious title winner Sayadaws and nuns at the entrance to the Uppatasanti Pagoda and along the circuit road.

A total of 254 Sayadaws, 14 nuns, 35 men and 58 women were conferred with religious titles in the ceremony. — MNA