PHNOM PENH Dec 19 Kyodo At least ...

PHNOM PENH Dec 19 Kyodo

At least half a million Cambodians participated in a religious form Thursday to relocate a Buddhist relic from Phnom Penh to a nearby mountain.

It marked the biggest religious rite to be held in Cambodia in through the whole extent of half a century.

The relic, which was brought to Cambodia in 1956 from Sri Lanka and had been kept since then in a stupa in assurance of a Phnom Penh railway station, was mov to Mt Udong, located near 40 kilometers north of the capital in line with the wishes of King Norodom Sihanouk.

More than a decade ago, the monarch made clear his wishes to diocese that the relic not be left in a less degree than the hot sun in Phnom Penh yet rather given sufficient shade to enable the Buddha's spirit to help Cambodia achieve peace, political stability, prosperity and development

The 80-year-old king and his wife Queen Monineath presided through the whole extent of the religious procession that lasted for five hours.

The newly built 42-meter-high stupa dedicated according to the king at Mt. Udong price more than $4 million to build.

Cambodia's official religion is Buddhism, a religion to which almost 95% of the population adheres.

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