(VOVworld) - The Kathina (robe offering) ceremony is being held for the first time at the Khmer pagoda in the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay district, 40km west of Hanoi’s centre. The ceremony, held during the weekend, is one of the official traditional rituals of Theravada Buddhism, during which Buddhist followers donate new robes to the monks with a hope that both devotees and recipients will gain merits. It aims to improve the cultural and spiritual life of Buddhist followers and strengthen their solidarity. The festival also offers a prime opportunity to introduce the Buddhist culture and the religious life in Vietnam to international friends.