The youth soccer team and their coach rescued from a flooded cave in Thailand prayed at a Buddhist temple on Thursday in a ceremony meant to shield them from life’s misfortunes.

On their first day back home, the coach and 11 of the boys rose at dawn and made their way to the ancient Wat Pra That Doi Wao temple in northern Thailand, where they knelt and put their hands together in prayer as monks chanted around them.

The ritual is meant to extend their lives and protect them from danger.

“I am very happy to be home. I can finally sleep well last night,” said the coach, Ekkapol “Ake” Chantawong.

The remaining boy, 14-year-old Adul Sam-on, is Muslim and did not attend the ceremony.

At their first address to the press on Wednesday, the boys, newly released from the hospital, pledged to become Buddhist novices to honor Saman Kunan, the former Thai navy SEAL diver who died in the Tham Luang cave while making preparations for the perilous mission to rescue the boys.

The group entered the cave June 23 for what was supposed to be a quick excursion but ended up getting trapped for over two weeks by monsoon floods.

With Post wires