Kathina Celebrations

On October 20, 2024, we will celebrate Kathina, a significant event in the Buddhist calendar. Kathina is a traditional Buddhist festival that takes place at the end of the three-month rain retreat, known as Vassa. This retreat, which this year will start on July 15, 2024. The Kathina festival marks the conclusion of Vassa, a period of deep spiritual practice, and is a time when the community comes together to support the monastic community.

During Kathina, laypeople will offer a new set of robes and other requisites to the monks as a symbol of gratitude and support. This act of giving, or Dana, strengthens the bond between the monastic and lay communities, fostering a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

Kathina also highlights the resilience and dedication of the monastic community, who endure the challenges of the rainy season to deepen their practice. By celebrating Kathina, the Ugandan Buddhist community reaffirms its commitment to the practice and dissemination of the teachings of the Buddha as a way of cultivating peace and freedom in the world.