Their Majesties attend King’s birthday rites at Grand Palace
Their Majesties attended Buddhist rites at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall on July 28.
Their Majesties the King and Queen attended ceremonies marking His Majesty’s birthday on Tuesday (July 28) at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall in the Grand Palace.
At 5.40pm, Their Majesties travelled by royal car from Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall at Dusit Palace to the main chapel of Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti and Chaokhun Phra Sineenatha Bilasakalyani accompanied Their Majesties.
Buddhist rites at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
On arriving at the temple, His Majesty the King proceeded to the terrace outside the main chapel, where he received blessings from Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhist clergy.
Inside the main chapel, the King lit the Great Auspicious Candle on the stone pulpit and two candles made to His Majesty’s height, placed in cabinets beside the pulpit on the sides of the Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulalok and Phra Buddha Lertla Naphalai images.
He also lit incense and candles behind the royal seat in homage to the Emerald Buddha and the two other Buddha images.
The King then lit incense and candles at the large gold worship set in front of the stone pulpit, while Her Majesty the Queen lit incense and candles at the gold directional worship set.
His Majesty lit a candle on a table before the monks, who chanted the Navaggahayusamadhamma prayers. He also lit a candle before a tablet representing the nine planetary deities, placed on a stand opposite the central doorway.
The King later returned to the terrace and granted an audience to elderly male and female courtiers, who received royal gifts.
Their Majesties then proceeded to Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall.
Senior monk elevated in ecclesiastical rank
At the throne hall, Their Majesties were received by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana and Her Royal Highness Princess Aditayadornkitikhun.
After acknowledging the homage of those in attendance, the King took his seat and ordered a royal scribe to read a proclamation elevating a senior monk to the ecclesiastical rank of Somdet Phra Ratchakhana.
His Majesty presented the newly elevated monk with a gold name tablet, a ceremonial fan of rank, a set of monastic robes and the insignia accompanying the ecclesiastical title.
Monks then chanted verses of victory and blessing as officials struck the victory gong and sounded conch shells and trumpets, accompanied by traditional music.
The King subsequently poured ceremonial water as the monks offered blessings and the traditional royal benediction.
Seventy-five monks chant birthday prayers
His Majesty then lit the Great Auspicious Candle at the dais beneath the Nine-Tiered Great White Umbrella of State, together with a candle made to his height in a cabinet beside the dais.
He also lit incense and candles before Buddha images and figures of the nine planetary deities associated with His Majesty’s birthday.
At the front of the dais, the King lit incense and candles at a two-tiered gold worship set in homage to the Phra Buddha Patima Chaiwat image associated with the reign of King Rama IX and the Buddha image representing the weekday on which King Rama IX was born.
His Majesty paid homage and observed the Buddhist precepts, which were administered by Somdet Phra Theerayanamuni.
A congregation of 75 monks then chanted prayers for the royal birthday ceremony.
When the chanting reached the section for preparing consecrated water, the King lit a candle on the cover of the Phra Kring Pavares ceremonial vessel and presented the vessel to Somdet Phra Theerayanamuni.
His Majesty then proceeded to Phaisan Thaksin Throne Hall, where he lit incense and candles in homage to Phra Siam Devadhiraj, the guardian deity of Siam, before returning to Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall.
After the monks completed the chanting, they offered the traditional royal benediction and took leave.
The King paid homage before the worship set at the dais, acknowledged the respects of those attending the ceremony and left Amarin Winitchai Throne Hall before returning by royal car.
