As the 19 Buddhist monks reached the heart of Washington, D.C., Tuesday, crowds lined parts of the city to watch their quiet procession and their message of peace. The monks, dressed in saffron and maroon robes and accompanied by their rescue dog, Aloka, marked the end of a trek that began in late October and concluded in the nation’s capital after 15 weeks.
Their final stop in Washington came at the Washington National Cathedral, where they were joined by more than 100 other Buddhist monks and nuns for an interfaith gathering that drew faith leaders across traditions. Among the attendees was Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who helped host the gathering. Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara spoke on the cathedral steps, visibly moved by the event’s emphasis on peace, and he told the crowd it was overwhelming for the group.
“It is overwhelming for us,” Pannakara said on the steps of the cathedral. He also said of the day, “This is the moment I will remember for the rest of my life,” and added, “And I hope you do the same.”
The monks’ arrival in Washington followed weeks of public appearances across the southeastern United States, with people turning out in large numbers to watch them pass. Some spectators were drawn by the monks’ presence on social media, and others came to see the procession in person, including at the group’s first public stop in Washington at American University’s Bender Arena, where nearly 3,500 people gathered and stayed silent as a sign of respect for the monks and their quest for peace.
The trek also brought risks and setbacks. In November outside Houston, an escort vehicle carrying the monks was hit by a truck, injuring two monks; Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated. Phommasan later rejoined the group near Washington and entered American University’s arena in a wheelchair, returning to the road for the remainder of the journey.
Jackson Vaughn, 33, described what it meant to see the monks keep going after the injury, saying he had been traveling with them for a week since they came through his hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Vaughn, who has used a wheelchair since 2024, said, “There are so many things happening in the world,” adding, “To see people gathering peacefully and setting an example, I think, is a wonderful thing.” He also said he was grateful to fellow travelers who helped him navigate icy roads, and that the monks’ approach showed “how connected we really are.”
The monks’ message drew visitors from a range of backgrounds. Kristin Williams, 42, brought her two children, ages 8 and 10, to watch outside the cathedral, saying she wanted them to “not just witness history but witness the power of coming together.” She said the movement they had been building “for the past couple of months has been really powerful to watch grow.”
Long Si Dong, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth temple associated with the monks, said the walk is neither a political movement nor focused on advocacy or legislation. “It’s a spiritual offering, an invitation to live peace through everyday actions, mindful steps and open hearts,” Dong said, adding, “We believe when peace is cultivated within, it naturally ripples outward into society.” The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an approach focused on breath and the mind-body connection, and they have given peace talks at stops along the journey, urging listeners to put down their phones and seek peace within themselves.
On Tuesday, the monks completed 108 days of walking, which they described as sacred in Buddhism, representing spiritual completion, cosmic order and the wholeness of existence. They planned to continue their closing events Wednesday with a walk through Capitol Hill and a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, while their return trip was expected to be less arduous: after an appearance at Maryland’s Capitol, they planned to ride a bus back to Texas, arriving in downtown Fort Worth early Saturday and walking the final 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) to the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, where the journey began Oct. 26, 2025.