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A procession of 19 Buddhist monks on a 2,300-mile journey promoting unity and compassion is set to enter Fairfax County, bringing temporary road closures and traffic delays along Route 1 and nearby roads.
The Walk for Peace is scheduled to reach Lorton at Richmond Highway and Furnace Road around 8 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 8. Fairfax County police will escort the monks while they travel through the county.
The procession will occupy all northbound lanes of Richmond Highway, also known as Route 1, prompting a complete but temporary closure at Furnace Road.
The monks are expected to arrive around 10 a.m. at Hoa Nghiem Pagoda, 9111 Backlick Road in Fort Belvoir, for a parade, peace ceremony and lunch. They plan to resume walking north on Route 1 around 1 p.m. before turning right onto Sherwood Hall Lane.
A peace prayer service is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by an overnight rest.
The walk will resume at 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9. The route heads east along Sherwood Hall Lane, then continues onto Fort Hunt Road, Morningside Lane and the northbound George Washington Memorial Parkway.
After walking five miles to the Alexandria city line, the monks will be escorted by Alexandria police.
Drivers should anticipate delays and possible short-term closures, use alternate routes and allow additional travel time. Police are asking spectators not to stop, slow down or park in the roadway to watch the procession. Supporters should remain in pedestrian-friendly areas, avoid travel lanes and follow directions from law enforcement and event organizers.
Organized by the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, the pilgrimage began in Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 26, 2025. It has since attracted supporters and curious spectators along its route.
Bhikkhu Pannakara, the walk’s spiritual leader, has described the journey as an effort to encourage people to find peace within themselves and extend kindness to their families and communities.
After traveling through Alexandria and Arlington, the monks are expected to reach Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Participants plan to deliver a short message centered on healing and renewal.
The monks also intend to advocate for Congress to recognize Vesak, a festival celebrating Buddha’s birthday, as a federal holiday. A prayer gathering at Washington National Cathedral is scheduled for 1 p.m., following a private lunch for local monks and nuns.
A peace gathering and closing ceremony will take place at the Lincoln Memorial at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11. The journey will then continue for another day to the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis before the monks return to Fort Worth.
As of Friday afternoon, the procession was in Stafford for a peace-sharing talk at its designated rest stop. The walk is also being streamed live through the Facebook page for Dhammacetiya, a planned 14-acre, $200 million development at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center’s Fort Worth campus.