Lunar New Year prayers and festivities welcome the Year of the Horse

People across parts of East and Southeast Asia marked the Lunar New Year with prayers, fireworks and public festivities as the Year of the Horse began. Observances included temple incense and bell rites in Hong Kong and Taipei, countdowns and fireworks in Vietnam, and public events in Moscow and Jakarta.

People marked the Lunar New Year with prayers, fireworks and public festivities as the Year of the Horse began. The Year of the Horse succeeds the Year of the Snake in the 12-animal Chinese zodiac. The Lunar New Year is the most important annual holiday in China and in several East Asian countries, and it is observed by communities beyond the region. Events combined solemn temple rites and popular entertainment across multiple countries. Notable details: - In Hong Kong, worshippers held incense sticks and bowed at a temple where people traditionally make wishes at midnight. - In Taipei, the Baoan Temple rang a bell 108 times and worshippers lit incense and left flower offerings on the temple grounds. - In Vietnam, entertainers sang at an outdoor countdown and multiple fireworks shows took place in several cities during Tet celebrations. - In Moscow, light shows, fireworks, food stalls and red-lantern decorations accompanied a public Lunar New Year festival, and two weeks of events got underway at various venues in the Russian capital. - A worshipper was pictured wearing a horse head decoration at Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong, and celebrations were reported at temples on the outskirts of Jakarta. Summary: The observances combined religious rituals and public entertainment across several countries to mark the start of the Year of the Horse. In Moscow, organizers began a two-week program of events, while other locations held early-morning temple rites and local celebrations. Undetermined at this time for the full schedule of events elsewhere.