Religions & Spiritual Traditions  Caodaism FAQs  FAQ
How do Caodaists celebrate major festivals, holy days, and observances?

Cao Đài’s festivals feel like a vibrant patchwork quilt, weaving together Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist and Catholic strands into one big celebration. Lunar New Year (Tết) kicks things off with three days of colorful processions: followers don the yellow, red and blue robes of the Three Realms, burn incense at home altars and join vegetarian feasts in temple courtyards. Midday and evening services at 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. feature Sino-Vietnamese chants underscored by organ interludes—Gregorian echoes meeting Eastern mantra, as if East truly did kiss West.

The Founding Day (February 25 1926) turns Tây Ninh Holy See into a theatrical pageant. Flags flutter, dragon dances twist through courtyards and altar tables groan under bowls of fruit, flowers and rice wine. A high point: the Supreme Being’s voice is called in via mediums dressed in elaborate tunics, reminding everyone that Heaven and Earth are never more than a breath apart.

Fifteenth-day vegetarian observances punctuate each lunar month, but the Grand Festival of the Eighth Moon (Trung Thu) stands out. Lanterns shaped like phoenixes and peacocks light up dusk, children parade through temple halls, and mooncakes are shared with neighbors in a gesture that feels simultaneously ancient and utterly timely—especially as recent Tet celebrations in 2025 saw livestreamed lantern parades for the global diaspora.

The anniversary of Tây Ninh’s inauguration (November 18) brings a slightly more formal air: new robes are blessed, vows of charity are renewed, and temple committees distribute food to the needy—mirroring Vietnam’s growing focus on social welfare. Martial arts demos add a dash of flair, while paper offerings burn in bonfires that crackle beneath temple spires.

Whether it’s the solemn hush of midday prayer or the riotous colors of a dragon dance, each observance hints at Cao Đài’s one-of-a-kind belief: all faiths are threads in the same cosmic tapestry. Festivals here don’t just commemorate holy days—they celebrate unity, prick the heart with beauty and, every so often, remind onlookers that harmony can truly be a work of art.