Inviting ancestors home for Tet is a Vietnamese tradition, and performing a prayer is essential on the last day of the year. But what is the correct prayer? Let’s explore the standard prayer together.
1 When to Perform the Prayer for Inviting Ancestors Home for Tet
According to Vietnamese customs, during the last dinner of the year, families prepare an offering to showcase family reunion and prosperity, and they invite their ancestors to join the Tet celebration.
The offering is usually placed on a small table below the main altar, which holds fresh flowers, a tray of five types of fruits, and a small amount of ceremonial paper money.
After preparing the offering, the head of the family will light incense and recite the prayer to invite the ancestors, after which other family members will perform the ritual of bowing and paying respect. Several standard prayers have been passed down through generations for Vietnamese families to use during this New Year’s Eve dinner.
For reference: Giáp Thìn 2024
2 Standard Prayer for Inviting Ancestors
Article 1: Excerpt from “Vietnamese Traditional Prayers” – Culture and Information Publishing House
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat! (3 times)
– I respectfully bow to the nine directions of the sky and the ten directions of the Buddha, the Buddha of the ten directions.
– I respectfully bow to the Emperor of Heaven, the Goddess of the Earth, and all the gods and goddesses.
– I respectfully bow to the God of the current year, the most virtuous Thai Tue.
– I respectfully bow to the local gods and the Great Kings of the local spirits.
– I respectfully bow to the local Earth God and the Land God.
– I respectfully bow to the gods of the five directions, the five soils, the dragon veins, the god of wealth, the god of the family stove, and all the gods and goddesses who govern this region.
– I respectfully bow to our ancestors, the male and female ancestors of the Cao Tang family, and the inner and outer spirits of the family…
Today is the 30th of Chạp in the year …
Your faithful (us) are: …
Living at…
We respectfully inform you: The end of the East is approaching, the year is coming to an end, the spring is near, and the new year is about to begin.
We, along with our entire family, have prepared offerings of incense, flowers, food, and drinks for the New Year’s Eve ceremony, offering them to the gods and goddesses, and our ancestors, and remembering our deceased loved ones.
Following the usual annual tradition, we respectfully invite all the gods and goddesses, our ancestors, and the spirits of this place, both past and present, to descend and witness our sincerity, accept our offerings, and bless our entire family, young and old, with peace, prosperity, good fortune, and health. May our family always be harmonious.
We sincerely invite and pray for the protection and blessings of all the gods and our ancestors.
Nam Mo A-di-da Phat (3 times, 3 bows).
Article 2: For families and businesses worshipping the Family God on New Year’s Eve
On the 30th of Tet, some families and businesses, in addition to worshipping their ancestors, also perform a ritual to thank the “Land” for a year of doing business. The offering can be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, usually consisting of sticky rice, tea, incense, flowers, betel and areca nuts, five types of fruits, money, alcohol, and more. It is placed in the yard or porch, and then the family members bow and pay respect towards the front of the house.
I respectfully bow to the Emperor of Heaven and the Goddess of the Earth, and all the gods and goddesses.
I respectfully bow to the God of the Eastern Kitchen, the Commander of the Stove.
I respectfully bow to the God of the Land and the Dragon Veins.
I respectfully bow to the gods of the five directions, the five soils, and the gods of blessings and virtues.
I respectfully bow to the God of Wealth and the Earth God.
I respectfully bow to all the gods and goddesses who govern this area.
Your faithful (us) are: …………………………………
Age: ………………………..
Living at: …………
Today is the …… day of the …… month of the …… year. We sincerely prepare incense, flowers, and offerings, burn incense, and present them before the altar. As the year comes to an end, we would like to express our gratitude for your protection and blessings, which have brought us peace and good fortune.
We respectfully invite the God of the current year, the most virtuous Thai Tue, the Great Kings of the local spirits, the God of the Eastern Kitchen, the Commander of the Stove, the God of the Land and the Dragon Veins, the gods of the five directions, the five soils, and the blessings and virtues, and all the gods and goddesses who govern this area, to descend and witness our sincerity, accept our offerings, and bless us with peace and prosperity. May everyone be safe, may wealth and fortune increase, may our spiritual path expand, and may all our wishes be granted.
Our offerings are humble, but our hearts are sincere. We invite you to witness our sincerity and bestow your blessings and protection upon us.
Respectfully announced!
3 The Significance of Inviting Ancestors Home for Tet
Ancestor worship is not only a traditional custom but also a unique cultural feature of the Vietnamese people. It expresses gratitude and remembrance for the contributions of our ancestors and deceased loved ones. Therefore, this ritual is usually held on the last day of the year (the 30th of Tet in a leap year and the 29th of Tet in a common year).
Significance of Inviting Ancestors Home for Tet
Nowadays, Vietnamese families often combine the year-end offering with the Lunar New Year offering, but the ritual and prayer remain unchanged, carrying the same significance of the New Year’s Eve ceremony of inviting ancestors home for Tet.
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