A Jade Prayer

The world's largest jade Buddha, sculpted from a single piece of gem-quality jade, was unveiled yesterday at Wat BuddhaRangsi, a Thai Buddhist Temple of Miami situated in the deep South farmland area known as Redland. For one week, the public is welcome to view and worship this religious icon free of charge.

The story of this giant Buddha dates from 2000 when a massive boulder of Jade was discovered in the arctic circle of Canada. Consisting of 18 tons of gem quality jade, it was called "the find of the millennium" and given the name "Polar Pride." Over the next five years professional carvers and artists sculpted and carved the colossal Jade boulder into a spectacular seven-foot high Buddha, including the lotus flower as the throne.

Jade stone has been considered in the orient as the "Gem of Heaven" and is believed to be a symbolic link between humanity and spirituality. A mineral associated with longevity, beauty, worth and love, Jade is believed to have great medicinal properties and is given one of the highest places among the gem stones.

Valued at US $5 million, this precious Buddha statue has been making its holy way around the world to allow people to admire and worship the rare sighting. Named the world Tour of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, it began in 2009.

The Jade Buddha is now in Miami. the next stops will include Memphis, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; Worcester, Massachusetts; then on to Ontario, Canada; and back to Haymarket, Virginia, USA; and again to Canada: Edmonton, Alberta and Aldergrove, British Columbia. It will resume its USA tour in Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; then to San Jose, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, California; Honolulu, Hawaii and Long Beach, California.

Starting 2011: the LA Convention Center; Santa Ana, Escondido, Ventura, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Lithonia and Garden City, Georgia; Wichita, Kansas; Chicago, Illinois; Telford, Pennsylvania. In June: Frankfurt am Main, Hannover, Berlin and Munich, Germany. In August, the people of Birmingham of the United Kingdom will get their turn... and so on...

The tour is expected to last several years before concluding on its way back to its permanent home at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo, Australia.

Today, many came here to burn incense and to say a prayer for the ones they love.