Wat
Sanghikaram Wat Khmer
Sanghikaram Wat Khmer (វត្តសង្ឃិការាម, Wat Sanghikaram), also called Wat Lynn, is a Khmer Buddhist temple on Chestnut Street in Lynn, Massachusetts.[1][2] It stands in the middle of the city's Cambodian community.[2]
History
Many Cambodians came to Lynn between 1975 and 1979 and in the early 1980s. By 2018 the city had more than 4,000 Cambodians and was a North Shore center for the region's Cambodian community.[2][3] In 1984 the newly arrived residents began to raise money for a temple. In 1985 they bought a former church, Calvary Baptist, and converted it into a temple. The temple later bought a house across the street for use as a monastery residence.[2]
On October 31, 2011, Temple News listed the Maha Thera Siripanno as abbot of Wat Sanghikaram and as president of the International Community of Khmer Buddhist Monks Center (IKBM). That listing and a 2014 temple directory gave the address 110 Chestnut Street and the telephone numbers (781) 595-7907 and (781) 593-2117.[4][5] In 2018 the Pluralism Project gave the address as 109 to 110 Chestnut Street and the telephone number 781-581-7266.[2][3] The 2026 directory of Cambodian Buddhist temples in the United States listed the organization as Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Inc.[1]
Religious life
In 2018 three monks lived in the monastery residence and three more lived at the temple. By 2026 the directory listed eight monks.[2][1] The monks lead the temple's ceremonies and celebrations. These include the Buddha's birthday, the New Year in the spring, and the beginning and end of the rainy season retreat. At the annual robe-offering ceremony in the fall, lay members show their support for the monks by presenting new robes.[2]
Visiting
As of 2018, meetings took place daily at 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wat Ratanarangsey blog, 2026 Directory of Wat Khmer or Cambodian Buddhist Temples in the USA
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Harvard Pluralism Project archive, Sanghikaram Wat Khmer (updated July 10, 2018)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pluralism Project, Buddhist Centers in Boston
- ↑ Temple News, Wat Sanghikaram (October 31, 2011)
- ↑ Temple News, 2558 Khmer Buddhist Temples Directory (2014)