By RHIANNON EVANS, IRIT SKULNIK, NOLAN ROGALSKI, ANDREW MOLLENAUER
Capital News Service
After 110 days and almost 2,300 miles, nearly two dozen Theravada Buddhist Monks ended their ‘’Walk for Peace’’ Thursday at the Maryland State House.
The group embarked on the final leg of its pilgrimage — a stretch it wasn’t expecting.
“I thought yesterday was our last day of Walk for Peace,” Venerable Bhikkhu Paññak?ra, the group’s spokesperson, told hundreds gathered in front of the State House. “But after receiving the invitation from Maryland, we are happy to be here with you all.”
Paññak?ra called for peace and mindfulness at a time when the nation and the world are “deeply suffering.” The journey, Paññak?ra said, serves as a reminder to himself and everyone else that peace is possible.
“We always carry the key with us to share with you– to hand it to you– so you can unlock peace and love and passion yourself,” he said. “Peace is always with us, it’s been with us, never left us. … It’s just that we’ve forgotten it.”
The stop at the Maryland capital was a last- minute addition, according to Paññak?ra.
Due to scheduling conflicts and Washington’s holiday schedule, Maryland and other states were removed from the route that began in Fort Worth, Texas. Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller extended the invitation to visit the State House only a few weeks ago, said Rachel Sawicki, director of communications for the office of the lieutenant governor.
The monks visited Washington, D.C., earlier this week stopping by the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington National Cathedral.
The pilgrimage began at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in late October and serves as a reminder that peace is a practice, not a destination, according to organizers.
The group has attracted a large following along the way, in person and virtually. Thousands have shown up at stops, while the official Walk for Peace page and Facebook support group have garnered nearly 3 million followers combined.
Jill Tocco, a 50-year-old small business owner, has been following the monks’ journey over the past several months. Tocco, of Arnold, Maryland, said she planned to go to Virginia to see the monks until she found out last week they were coming to Annapolis.
“I felt it was kind of a blessing in a way that it came to Annapolis, it was totally unexpected,” said Tocco, who had arrived in Annapolis by 7:30 a.m. in preparation to see the monks. “We can’t change the whole world, but if we live within peace, it will.”
By 8 a.m., hundreds of people lined the streets in downtown Annapolis, bundled in coats and holding warm beverages, hoping to see the monks passing by.
The monks were scheduled to arrive at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at 9 a.m. and make their way to the State House by 9:45 a.m., but delays postponed their arrival by roughly an hour. When the crowd at Lawyers Mall learned the monks were not arriving until 10:30 a.m., it still cheered
After his address, Paññak?ra and the other monks climbed the steps of the state capitol to applause from the crowd. Once inside, the monks were introduced in the Senate and House chambers before joining a private meeting with the Council on Interfaith Outreach.
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