The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, held a worship ceremony at Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, located in Xigaze, Tibet, on Sunday after his 20-day closed-door religious retreat.

The 11th Panchen Lama, dressed in a white cassock and a red crown drawing the images of five buddhas of the Tibetan Buddhism, presided the ceremony, which started at 10:45 AM

After chanting the Tibetan Buddhist scripture, the 11th PanchenLama lit a fire before his throne.

He threw the offerings into the fire and added butter oil to the fire to make it burn well in the hope of dispelling all diseases and devils.

The ceremony lasted for 90 minutes and many senior lamas attended it.

The 11th Panchen Lama will study the Tibetan Buddhist scriptures and give blessings to pilgrims by touch their heads in the next few days.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2005)