A group of Buddhist monks who spent four months walking — sometimes barefoot or in the snow — on a 2,000-mile trek from Texas to Washington, D.C., completed their journey Tuesday.
The group’s so-called Peace March went viral, capturing the attention of millions of Americans at a time of increased political division in the United States.
Along the way, the troop shared a message of mindfulness with their leader, Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, saying: “I hope that at the end of this walk, the people we met will continue to practice mindfulness and find peace. »
Their journey began on October 26, 2025 at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth.
After arriving in the US capital, the monks visited the Washington National Cathedral where they attended an interfaith service. Later in the week, they will make stops at the Abraham Lincoln Memorial and Peace Monument, which stand on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
The group also reportedly intends to appeal to lawmakers to declare Buddha’s birthday – called Vesak – a national holiday – but their expedition has gained traction beyond that political demand.
“Their long journey and gentle testimony invite us all to deepen our commitment to compassion,” said Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who will help welcome the monks at an interfaith reception, according to the Associated Press.
The 19 traveling monks come from Theravada Buddhist monasteries around the world.
The final day of their single-file trek across the country began Tuesday morning in Arlington, Virginia, about 5.6 miles (9.1 km) from the U.S. capital.
A livestream on the group’s Facebook account shows them walking past piles of snow, as the first days of above-freezing temperatures return after weeks of record cold across much of the eastern United States. They are cheered by rows of spectators in the video.
“May you be safe and warm. Thank you for walking in peace. We desperately need it in our world now,” one user wrote.
For the past 108 days – a sacred number in Buddhism representing spiritual completion – the group has walked this same line step by step in single file. But the trip was not without incident.
In November, an escort vehicle that accompanied the monks as they walked along a highway in Houston, Texas, was struck by a truck, injuring two of the monks. One of them had a leg amputated.
Their return to Texas will likely be quicker – and easier – as they are expected to return by bus and arrive in Fort Worth on Saturday.