Monks bring balm for America’s wounds as Washington cheers peace odyssey | Washington DC

Bhante Saranapala gazed at more than a hundred Buddhist monks dressed in burnt orange, saffron and brown robes, most sporting woolen hats, a few clutching flowers.

“These monks are awesome!” ” yelled Saranapala, known as the “urban Buddhist monk,” drawing cheers from the large crowd. “Their determination must be greatly appreciated. Walking from Texas to Washington DC, 2,300 miles; that takes great determination!”

The Lincoln Memorial has been witness to many things over the past century — to black opera singer Marian Anderson, to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, to Richard Nixon’s late-night conversation with anti-war protesters — but rarely to a scene as colorful as Wednesday.

For 19 monks and Aloka, an Indian rescue dog, it was a milestone in a 2,300-mile “Peace Walk,” a self-proclaimed spiritual journey through nine states that had been cheered by thousands.

The odyssey began in Texas 108 days ago and saw them brave freezing temperatures and a crippling winter storm, sometimes barefoot, to raise “awareness of peace, kindness and compassion across America and the world.”

About 100 monks and nuns joined them in America’s political capital, determined to stay away from politics, although among the thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial was someone waving a Palestinian flag and another holding a large sign reading: “Peaceful resistance.”

The rally took place across the street from the recently renamed Donald J Trump Institute of Peace and near the also recently renamed Trump Kennedy Center. But above the monks were Washington’s more enduring touchstones, such as the 19-foot-tall seated Lincoln statue, carved from Georgia marble, and the memorial’s enshrined aspiration to “heal the nation’s wounds.”

The monks had come with balm for America’s current wounds and found the weather mild as the capital emerged from a recent cold snap, although much ice and snow persisted. As the monks took their places beneath the memorial, a song blared through the speakers: “Spread peace, love and harmony to Washington, DC.” »

Several gave speeches as birds and, occasionally, planes flew overhead. Tencho Gyatso, niece of the Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, read a letter paying tribute to the monks: “Their commitment, including enduring physical hardships and harsh weather conditions during a journey of more than 2,000 miles, has attracted attention in the United States and internationally,” he wrote.

“The message of peace and mutual understanding conveyed through their conduct, marked by humility and calm presence, resonated with many of the people they met along the way… May their walk help sow the seeds of greater peace, greater understanding and greater compassion in the United States and beyond.” »

Bhikkhu Bodhi, a monk a native of Brooklyn, described the march as one of the most important events of the 21st century and said: “It seems to me that this peace march has brought out the greatest quality of the American character, which is the recognition expressed in the words of Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address that this is a nation founded on the principle that – he said that all men are created equal. We have to revise that and say that all people are created persons.”

“And this march showed that no matter what race you are, no matter what ethnicity you come from, no matter your religious faith, no matter the color of your skin, we all celebrate peace. »

Peace marches are a treasured tradition in Theravada Buddhism. Some monks walked barefoot or in socks during parts of the journey to touch the ground directly and help them be present in the moment.

But this effort has its perils. In November, outside Houston, the group was walking on the side of a highway when their escort vehicle was struck by a truck. Two monks were injured; Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated.

Phommasan, abbot of a temple in Snellville, Georgia, joined monks near Washington and addressed the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial from his wheelchair.

The peace march sparked the interest of millions of people on social media, with many sharing messages of support.

On Wednesday, King’s son, Martin Luther King III, posted on

Some members of the crowd at the Lincoln Memorial held roses or signs reading “Welcome Peace Warriors,” “Equal Rights for All Humans” and “Every Heart Needs an Aloka.” They joined in chanting “Today is going to be my peaceful day” led by Bhikkhu Pannakara, spiritual leader of the Peace March.

Jacquelyn Gray, 64, who works in construction logistics, said: “I’ve followed them since the day they left and I was impressed that someone was so committed to something. I know like everyone else that they won’t get here and magically peace will cover the planet, but I admire their commitment to this cause.”

Katharine Naujoks, 57, a high school science teacher, said: “The world needs some communalism, camaraderie, peace and goodwill. A lot of people are looking for that. I want to be part of that positive experience.”

Reflecting on the monks’ epic march, which ends Thursday in Annapolis, Md., Naujoks added: “It’s pretty amazing, the fact that they had to come during the coldest time in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. We don’t usually get this cold, so it’s amazing to me. It just shows that it’s an important thing. It’s important to them and it’s important to everyone here.”

Could Washington politicians learn from this? “That would be lovely,” she said.