Thousands pack downtown Raleigh to see monks passing through as they Walk for Peace
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- Thousands gather in Raleigh’s Capitol Square to greet 19 monks on a peace walk.
- Monks paused a 2,300-mile route on day 91 for a public gathering and a call for peace.
- Supporters tracked the journey online, greeted walkers with bubbles and giant butterflies.
The pilgrims braved sub-freezing air, climbed high into trees, stood on tiptoes and craned their necks for a chance to see Raleigh’s newest luminaries: 19 monks walking 2,300 miles for peace with Aloka the dog in tow.
Thousands crammed into Capitol Square downtown Saturday as the monks paused for a peace gathering as they crossed the state through Siler City, then Pittsboro, then Apex and finally Raleigh.
On Sunday morning, with the mercury showing just 21 degrees, they marched northeast to Rolesville, equipped with mittens and snow boots. The crowds that appeared Saturday weren’t there, with just a few bundled-up onlookers on the side of the road, as seen in photos on social media.
“Even in the midst of snow, sleet, and freezing conditions, the walk for peace goes on,” the monks posted on their Facebook page, “and so does the practice of returning to our breath, to our stillness, to the peace that lives inside each of us.”
It was much more still than Saturday, when their fans, faithfully tracking their journey online, came blowing bubbles and waving giant butterflies on sticks, warmed by the travelers’ words.
“You are coming out for us every single day,” said Tue Nhan Bhikkhu, also known as Rev. Nguyen. “We have the same goal, which is peace for our nation, for this universe.”
‘We want to come together’
Saturday marked day 91 for the monks’ Walk for Peace, which started in Texas in October on the way to Washington, D.C., and has collected millions of followers since, all of them tapping into their goal of spreading mindfulness and compassion.
“It’s important to be out, for good,” said Anne Ehlers on the Capitol lawn. “It’s a rough world at the moment.”
News of the monks’ travel competed with images of further violence in Minneapolis, where federal agents shot and killed a 37-year-old nurse, NBC News reported.
As the monks walked to the Capitol from Dix Park, Donna Bailey held a sign that read, “Dear world, we are so sorry. Love, sane Americans.” The sign “says everything,” Bailey said. She saw the gathering as a protest, and referred to news of the deadly shooting in Minneapolis: “I was watching that murder live on TV this morning. So man, we’ve got to show up. I’m inspired by the number of people here wanting to protest peacefully.”
Both Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell and Gov. Josh Stein spoke along with the monks at the Capitol, welcoming them on their route to the nation’s capital.
“You are bringing people hope,” Stein said. “We live in a time of partisan rancor and political discord. ... In our heart of hearts, we don’t want to be on guard against our neighbors. We want to come together.”
‘Our peaceful day’
The monks finished their peace gathering with a chant, which prompted the thousands watching to raise their phones to record the moment. One spectator held his skateboard aloft.
The temperature dipped to 28 degrees, but the wind chill brought the air close to single digits, still more than a thousand people waited longer than an hour to see the monks move on from the Capitol.
When they emerged from the east entrance, the pilgrims who were left lit incense candles and applauded as the monks and their camper van headed down Person Street, one of them offering this last piece of wisdom:
“Let’s go home and be warm,” the monk told the crowd. “Today is our peaceful day.”
News & Observer Politics Editor Jordan Schrader contributed.
This story was originally published January 24, 2026 at 6:25 PM.