A Catholic group is honouring victims of nuclear weapons by helping to organise lantern floating ceremonies throughout the world. Source: EWTN News.
Pax Christi International, a Catholic peace movement, is working with the Hiroshima Coventry Club (Touro Project) to organise the “Lanterns for Peace: from Hiroshima to the World” campaign worldwide.
“Inspired by the lantern ceremonies held each year in Hiroshima, the campaign invites communities around the world to organise local commemorative events using traditional lanterns as symbols of remembrance, peace, hope, and nuclear disarmament,” the Lanterns for Peace announcement on June 15 read.
The lantern ceremonies will mark the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9 in 1945.
“In an increasingly fragile world, where the nuclear threat has once again become a tangible reality, this commemoration is not only a moment of mourning, but a genuine call to conscience,” the statement continued.
The lanterns represent remembrance for lives lost, “hope for reconciliation and peace,” and “a collective commitment to abolish nuclear weapons,” according to the statement.
Lanterns for Peace is working with local groups to honour the anniversaries.
“Each participating city or community is encouraged to adapt the ceremony to its own local context while remaining united through shared symbols, messages, and commitments,” according to a booklet the group issued.
The booklet contains more details about the event along with instructions on how to build a lantern.
Each event includes a lantern floating ceremony, where safe and permitted, a moment of silence or prayer, and the reading of survivors’ testimonies.
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Catholic peace group to honour victims of nuclear weapons with lantern ceremonies (By Kate Quiñones, EWTN News)
