A group of Buddhist monks reached Washington, D.C., Tuesday, walking single file across a bridge over the Potomac River to cap a 15-week trek from Texas that has captivated the country. - NPR See article below the photos.
Feb 10, 2026 Jim
The attached photos were taken yesterday evening.
Mary
Mary,
God bless you for being there and the extraordinary photos of faith and hope. Jim
'Walk for Peace' concludes as Buddhist monks arrive in Washington after 15-week trek
Tiffany Stanley and Deepa Bharath, Associated Press
PBS News
February 10, 2026
Summary:
A group of Buddhist monks completed a 2,300-mile walk from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, after a 15-week trek that began October 26, 2025.
Nineteen monks from Theravada Buddhist monasteries around the world, led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, walked to advocate for peace. Their simple message resonated across a politically divided United States, with thousands gathering along roadsides and millions following online.
The journey had its perils: in November outside Houston, an escort vehicle was hit by a truck, injuring two monks. Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan, abbot of a temple in Snellville, Georgia, had his leg amputated but rejoined the group near Washington in a wheelchair.
The monks in their saffron robes, along with their rescue dog Aloka (whose name means "divine light" in Sanskrit), became social media fixtures. Nearly 3,500 people packed American University's Bender Arena for their first public stop in Washington, greeting them with respectful silence.
The monks stopped at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday and were expected to appear at the Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday.
While in the capital, they plan to submit a request to lawmakers to declare Vesak (Buddha's birthday) a national holiday, though leaders emphasized the walk is "a spiritual offering, an invitation to live peace through everyday actions." Tuesday marked their 108th day of walking, a sacred number in Buddhism representing spiritual completion. After an appearance at Maryland's Capitol, a bus will take them back to Texas, where they expect to arrive Saturday and walk the final 6 miles to their temple.
Quotes:
"This walk is very meaningful. This walk could change our life. How many of us are willing to walk to bring world peace?" - Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara
"There are many things happening in the world. To see people gathering peacefully and setting an example, I think, is a wonderful thing. I have been on this journey of trying to find my independence. But this really shows how connected we really are." - Jackson Vaughn, 33, a wheelchair user who traveled beside the monks for a week
"This is the moment I will remember for the rest of my life. And I hope you do the same." - Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, standing before thousands at the Washington National Cathedral
"It's a spiritual offering, an invitation to live peace through everyday actions, mindful steps and open hearts. We believe when peace is cultivated within, it naturally ripples outward into society." - Long Si Dong, spokesperson for the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center
Bless the venerable Buddhist monks, and their companion dog Aloka.
ReplyDeleteAnd may their prayers for peace & harmony be heard by the powers that be.
Om Mani Padmé Hum!
Hi Jimmy /Mary
ReplyDeleteNow that’s the kind of march that needs to happen everywhere - it reminds me of the women’s peace marches in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.