U.S. Ambassador Attends Re-opening of Amarbayasgalant Monastery
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USA to Mongolia Mr. Jonathan Addleton and the Embassy staff have participated in a celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the reopening of Amarbayasgalant Monastery. The news was reported Wednesday at the U.S Embassy's website.
The Monastery complex is nearly 300 years old, but the purges starting in 1937 forced the closure of the monastery and tens of thousands of monks were arrested, executed, or forced into hiding. By the end of the purges, of thousands of monasteries throughout the country, only a handful were left standing - including the Amarbayasgalant complex. In 1989 the beginning of the democratic movement opened the door for the re-emergence of Buddhism and the reopening of the monasteries.
The Embassy has a long relationship with Amarbayasgalant Monastery, which as one of the few remaining historical structures in Mongolia holds a special place as one of its most important cultural heritage sites.
The entire celebration or the "Naadam" ran four days and included the traditional Mongolian sports of horse racing, wresting, and archery. At the opening ceremony, the monks dedicated a brand new "wish granting" stupa on the hillside, performed chants, and recognized the monastery's supporters. During his remarks, the head monk thanked the U.S.Government for its past support of the monastery - including this year's USD 575,000 cultural preservation grant to provide fire and theft protection for the all-wooden complex, and a new roof for the main temple building. This grant is part of the U.S. State Department's Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation which has supported hundreds of cultural heritage sites around the world.
The Monastery complex is nearly 300 years old, but the purges starting in 1937 forced the closure of the monastery and tens of thousands of monks were arrested, executed, or forced into hiding. By the end of the purges, of thousands of monasteries throughout the country, only a handful were left standing - including the Amarbayasgalant complex. In 1989 the beginning of the democratic movement opened the door for the re-emergence of Buddhism and the reopening of the monasteries.
The Embassy has a long relationship with Amarbayasgalant Monastery, which as one of the few remaining historical structures in Mongolia holds a special place as one of its most important cultural heritage sites.
The entire celebration or the "Naadam" ran four days and included the traditional Mongolian sports of horse racing, wresting, and archery. At the opening ceremony, the monks dedicated a brand new "wish granting" stupa on the hillside, performed chants, and recognized the monastery's supporters. During his remarks, the head monk thanked the U.S.Government for its past support of the monastery - including this year's USD 575,000 cultural preservation grant to provide fire and theft protection for the all-wooden complex, and a new roof for the main temple building. This grant is part of the U.S. State Department's Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation which has supported hundreds of cultural heritage sites around the world.
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