Temples across South Korea held ceremonies on Thursday to mark the birth of the Buddha and to pray for the nation to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

At downtown Seoul's Jogyesa Temple, the head temple of South Korea's dominant Jogye Order, a ceremony took place to ritually cleanse the venue for Buddhist events, make offerings to the Buddha and help all creatures perceive their foolishness.

Ven. Wonhaeng, the chief monk of the Jogye Order, said the country is now able to end social distancing and transition into daily quarantine thanks to the people's efforts to control their greed and anger and to perceive foolishness during the past two months of self-isolation.

The chief monk warned of a greater crisis in the future, unless people change their way of life by reducing greed and excessive spending and by protecting the environment.

Other monks and Buddhists at the ceremony prayed for harmony that transcends race, religion, nationality and class, and hoped that people could together overcome the hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Buddhist community is expected to carry out a month-long prayer for COVID-19, before holding a formal celebration on May 30, postponed due to the outbreak.