On January 30, 2014, the eve of Chinese Lunar New Year, the Hellenic Shaolin Cultural Center, the official representative of the Songshan Shaolin Temple in Greece, held the solemn Spring Festival praying rite. The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is a major celebration in traditional Chinese culture, and Chinese Buddhist tradition.

By the occasion of this special day, some selected members of the Greek Shaolin Federation, the Primary Shaolin Institution in Greece, visited the Athens Shaolin Cultural Center. The General Director of the EPOKES grand Master Shi Yan Zhuo, Master Shi Yan Kong, General Director of Athens Shaolin Cultural Center, Master Shi Heng Ji, Director of Paiania Shaolin School, Master Shi Heng Ya Director of Red Phoenix Shaolin School, Master Shi Heng Feng, Director of Snake & Crane Shaolin School, Master Shi Heng Ling, of Artemida's Shaolin School, Master Shi Miao Yin of Amaliada Shaolin School, Master Shi Miao Qing of Wind Shaolin School, Master Miao Lian of Paiania Shaolin School, members, students and their families, disciples and many devotees.

The rite started in the solemn atmosphere. Head Master Yanzhuo presided over the rite. Everyone at the rite prayed for world peace, social harmony, family harmony and people’s happy life.
In accordance with the traditional ritual, they offered incense and sacrifice for ancestors and prayed for a peaceful world, healthy body and mind, study improvement.
 At 18.00 o’clock in the afternoon local time (12 am Beijing time), the assembly in festivity, welcomed the year of the horse, of Jiawu.

Everyone enjoyed a free meal of vegetarian dumplings, cooked steam buns, Chinese delicacies and some chinese tea varieties and they experience the joyous atmosphere of the Chinese traditional festival. 
At the end, Head Master Yanzhuo, wished everyone, good luck, auspicious new year and encourage them to continue their studies and efforts. Shaolin culture is a heritage for all humanity.