Wat
Wat Monysatharam (Erftstadt)
Wat Monysatharam is a Khmer Buddhist temple in Lechenich, Erftstadt, Germany.[1] It is the pagoda of the Khmer Buddhist Pagoda Association Erftstadt (Khmer buddhistische Pagode Verein Erftstadt e.V.), a Khmer Buddhist community organization.[1][2]
Community
The association keeps Buddhist life alive in the Khmer community of the region and preserves Cambodian culture. Its members learn prayers, practice their dances and celebrate their festivals together. In October 2025 the association had been active for 13 years, and the resident monk, the Venerable Bunny Oeun, cared for the pagoda.[1]
Festivals
The association celebrated Khmer New Year, Choul Chhnam Khmer, on April 15, 2023, at the Bürgerhalle in Erp, welcoming the Buddhist year 2567 and the Year of the Rabbit. Monks led a religious ceremony at 10:30 a.m. A shared lunch followed, then traditional Khmer folk games, a welcome dance and a traditional ceremony. After a dinner of Khmer dishes, the association's chair, Amara Mao, welcomed the guests. The evening closed with classical and folk dance and live music by the Berlin group Samre Band.[2][3]
In October 2025 the association marked the end of the rainy season with the Kathin festival in Erp and invited Cambodian communities from several European countries. The ceremony included shared prayers and traditional dances and ended with a feast.[1]
Associations
Khmer Buddhistische Pagode Verein Erftstadt E. V. (associated organization).[4]
Regional reporting explicitly identifies Wat Monysatharam in Lechenich as the association's pagoda. This relationship does not establish a separate branch network.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Rundschau Online, Gebet und Tanz: „Khmer buddhistische Pagode Erftstadt“ feiert Ende der Regenzeit (October 2025)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rheinische Anzeigenblätter, Neujahrsfest 2023: Khmer buddhistische Pagode Verein Erftstadt lädt ein (March 2023)
- ↑ Rheinische Anzeigenblätter, Rhein-Erft news (April 2023)
- ↑ Gebet und Tanz: „Khmer buddhistische Pagode Erftstadt“ feiert Ende der Regenzeit