APEX, N.C. (RNS) — Their bright saffron robes and shoulder bags standing out against a cloudy sky, 18 Buddhist monks walked in a single file along the shoulder of U.S.-64, a four-lane highway, on Friday (Jan. 23), drawing thousands of locals along their route.
As the monks’ solemn Walk for Peace, from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., passed through North Carolina, they were mostly silent and kept up a brisk pace, accompanied by sheriff’s department vehicles with their lights flashing. In 90 days, they have traversed more than half of their 2,220-mile trek to raise awareness of peace, kindness and compassion.
The crowds who lined up for miles on the side of the road to greet them and hand them flowers, oranges and bottled water showed nothing short of reverence as they passed near Apex. North Carolinians from across the state — and some further afield — pressed their palms together, bowed and wept openly as the monks walked by. Some prostrated to the ground…