Monks at a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok lit 330,000 candles on Earth Day 2021, setting the Guinness World Record for largest burning image, according to Agence France-Presse. The candles, arranged around the Dhammakaya Temple’s central shrine, depicted a world map, a meditating figure, and the event’s slogan: “Cleanse the Mind, Cleanse the World.” Over 400,000 people watched via Zoom as the monks chanted, led a lovingkindness meditation, and, of course, lit candles. Guinness officially counted a total of 256,477 candles, which still beat the previous record of 56,680. This is the temple’s second world record. In 2015, it won “longest journey walking on flower petals” with its 29-day pilgrimage, a yearly temple tradition since 2011.

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