金門媽祖朝聖團直航湄洲宗教交流（上）

金門縣各界所組成的「湄洲媽祖祖廟朝聖團」，四月十日直航湄洲，並前往莆田、泉州展開為期三天兩夜的宗教交流。
On April 10 the "Meizhou Matsu Pilgrimage(1) Mission" organized by representatives from different sectors of Kinmen took a direct course to Meizhou, beginning a three-day-two-night religious exchange that included Putien and Quanzhou.

十日上午七時許，由金門縣議會議長謝宜璋與縣長李炷烽親自率領一百八十人的朝聖團直航湄洲。此行地區的天后宮媽祖會與料羅順濟宮分別恭請大媽、二媽、三媽與聖母媽等媽祖金身前往，其他的廟宇也請出媽祖神像與盛大旗幟及陣頭加入陣容。
Around 7:00 AM on the 10th, under the leadership of Kinmen County Council Chairman Xie Yi Zhang and County Magistrate Li Zhu Feng, the 180-pilgrim mission set out for(2 ) Meizhou, with Dama, Arma, Sanma and Shengmuma from the Tienhou Temple Matsu Association and Liaoluo Shunzi Temple, as well as Matsu statues, flags and patrol teams.

湄洲祖廟為了迎接金門直航過去的進香團，推出高規格的接待，也動員近六百人的盛大歡迎儀式。
To greet the pilgrimage mission arriving directly from Kinmen, Meizhou Matsu Temple mobilized nearly six hundred people for a grand welcome ceremony.
湄洲島地方政府也特別舉行「兩地見面會」，縣長李炷烽在會中表示，湄洲與金門有相似的地理環境與信仰風俗，往後應該相互學習，有來有往，祈願可以擺脫離島的歷史悲情，掙脫現實環境的束縛。
The local government of Meizhou organized a reunion meeting, in which Kinmen County Magistrate Li Zhu Feng indicated that since Meizhou and Kinmen share similar geographical environments and religious practices, that the two places should learn from each other and interact frequently, so both places might be freed, he hoped, from the historical tragedies of the islands and the bondage of political realities.

議長謝宜璋也認為金湄兩地很相似，此行的這段海路是見證媽祖文化頂禮膜拜與虔誠信仰，他也表示，希望往後兩地加強交流，相互學習。
In concurrence,(3) Kinmen County Council Chairman Xie Yi Zhang agreed that he has seen many similarities between Meizhou and Kinmen. The marine course of this pilgrimage, he says, is to witness the worship and devotion(4) of the Matsu culture. He also would like to see more interchanges between the two places.

代表團十一日參與湄洲媽祖祖廟的盛大慶典祭祀，整個典禮遵循古禮進行，隆重莊嚴。金門府會並獻匾給湄洲媽祖祖廟，縣長李炷烽敬獻「慈航普渡」匾額；議長謝宜璋則敬獻「順天濟民」匾額；另外，府會首長也代表捐贈六十六萬元予祖廟，由湄洲祖廟董事會董事長林金榜代表接受。
On the 11th, the pilgrimage mission attended the great celebration of Meizhou Matsu Temple. Conducted in accordance with(5) the established ancient practices, the entire ceremony was both solemn and magnificent. Kinmen County Government and Council offered tablets to Meizhou Matsu Temple: Kinmen County Magistrate Li Zhu Feng presented the "Motherly Grace Saving All" tablet, and Kinmen County Council Chairman Xie Yi Zhang presented the "Heavenly Will Helping All" tablet. Leaders of Kinmen County Government and Council also donated NTD 660,000 to the parent temple. The offering was received by Mr. Lin Jin Bang, chairman of Meizhou Matsu Temple board of directors.

■1. pilgrimage-(n)朝聖。朝聖者，或香客是pilgrim。
■2. set out for-出發至～。
■3. concurrence-(n)贊同、意見一致；亦指「與～同時發生」，「與～一致」。
■4. devotion-(n)虔誠；奉獻。摯愛、熱愛。
■5. in accordance with-遵照；遵循；與～一致。
資料來源：金門縣政府