An alms giving ceremony was also held this morning (4th May) to gthe Maha Sangha who participated in the Jaya Pirith ceremony.
The Jaya Pirith chanting ceremony on a concept of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa commenced in 2008 to invoke blessings on the armed forces who were marching forward to defeat terrorism.
The Ven. Maha Sanga during the ceremony reiterated that the blessings of the Jaya Piritha gave immense courage to the veteran war heroes who were at the battle front and even today it has an enormous power to thwart external barriers.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Prime Minister D M Jayarathne, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Ministers, Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa and a large number of distinguished guests were present at the Jaya Pirith chanting ceremony.