Buddhist Ceremony Honors Supreme Patriarch's 99th Birthday
Buddhists nationwide conducted the Navakkhayusommadhamm merit-making ceremony at Wat Rajabophit on Wednesday to honor Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanyana's 99th birthday, a royal tradition established during King Rama V's rei
On Wednesday, June 24, 2025, Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanyana, the Supreme Patriarch and head of the Dhammayut order, attended a special chanting ceremony at Wat Rajabophit in honor of his approaching 99th birthday on June 26. The ceremony, called Navakkhayusommadhamm alternating with worship of the nine protective deities, featured merit-making rituals and blessings performed by the Dhammayut monastic community.
Navakkhayusommadhamm refers to the Dharma that sustains life through the nine protective deities and represents a newly arranged chanting ritual. According to historical records, the 9th Supreme Patriarch recommended this ceremony to royalty as a replacement for older blessing rituals, first conducted for Princess Maha Mala's 50th birthday celebration. King Rama V subsequently established it as an official royal tradition for annual birthday commemorations.
Since the reign of King Rama V through the present, the Navakkhayusommadhamm ceremony has been performed annually during royal birthday celebrations. The Supreme Patriarch's Council has mandated that all Buddhist communities nationwide conduct this ceremony each year to make merit and bestow blessings on their respective birthdays. The ritual incorporates Buddhist chants and sutras believed to bring prosperity and well-being to those who listen and understand their meanings, while cultivating concentration and wisdom through virtuous practice.
The Dhammayut monastic community gathered at Wat Rajabophit to perform the Navakkhayusommadhamm ceremony annually, making merit to honor the Supreme Patriarch's kindness and leadership of the Dhammayut order.
