[Video provided to gofujian.com.cn]

A grand ceremony celebrating for sea goddess Mazu's return home after a blessing trip will be staged on Meizhou Island in Putian, East China's Fujian province, on April 20, the first day of the third lunar month this year.

Thousands of believers will visit Meizhou to honor Mazu, a revered goddess of the sea who is worshipped on both sides of the Strait. The religion consists of numerous beliefs and customs, including oral traditions, religious ceremonies and folk practices. In 2009, Mazu beliefs and customs were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Stay tuned for the grand opening ceremony to celebrate the 1,063rd birthday of Mazu, which will take place on the island tomorrow.