Following the directive of the Supreme Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the sacred heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc will be available for public veneration at Vietnam Quoc Tu Pagoda (District 10, Ho Chi Minh City) from 2 PM on May 6 through May 10 (the 9th to 13th days of the fourth lunar month, Year of the Snake).

The announcement was made this afternoon by Most Venerable Thich Le Trang, Vice President of the Executive Council, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Sangha, and Vice Chairman of the Vesak 2025 Organizing Committee.

According to Most Venerable Thich Le Trang, Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc self-immolated on June 20, 1963 at the intersection of Le Van Duyet and Phan Dinh Phung streets in Saigon (now the intersection of Cach Mang Thang Tam and Nguyen Dinh Chieu streets in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) to protest religious oppression. His heart remained intact, becoming a sacred relic symbolizing the compassion and wisdom of Buddhism as well as the spirit of the Vietnamese people.

“Now that the right conditions have come together, the act of respectfully enshrining and venerating the heart relic of Bodhisattva Thich Quang Duc will take place during the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025, coinciding with the opening days of the Buddhist Vesak celebration, Buddhist calendar year 2569,” said Most Venerable Thich Le Trang.

The Supreme Patriarch, senior dignitaries of the Patronage Council, and members of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will participate in the ceremony.

Previously scheduled for May 3, the ceremony was postponed on the evening of May 2. It has since been rescheduled for May 6–10.

The event is one of two official spiritual highlights of the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025 and has attracted significant attention from monastics, lay followers, and Buddhists nationwide.

As of the afternoon of May 2, a total of 1,088 delegations with nearly 50,000 people had registered to attend. For May 3 alone, the originally planned opening day, nearly 10,000 online registrants had booked viewing slots, including multiple delegations of over 1,000 individuals each. Online registration remains open.

Security at the relic site is being prioritized. Surveillance cameras will be directly linked to Ho Chi Minh City Police systems, and security forces have been divided into four main units. Three parking areas around Vietnam Quoc Tu have been arranged, and hotline numbers are available for immediate assistance.

In addition, 60,000 commemorative logos will be distributed to monks, nuns, laypeople, and devotees as part of the spiritual offering organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Buddhist Communications Office.

Tuan Chieu