Tributes to Pope Francis poured in from around the world, from presidents to people of all walks of life, after the Vatican announced the pontiff’s death at age 88 on Monday.
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In this image released by Vatican media on Monday, April 21, 2025, Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell, second from left, flanked by, from left, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Substitute for the Secretariat of State, Cardinal Edgar PeÒa Parra, and Vatican Master of Ceremonies, Archbisop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, announces the death of Pope Francis at the Vatican. (Vatican Media via AP)
A worker places a banner of the late Pope Francis on the front of Cathedral Nuestra Senora de La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
A family says a prayer in front of the portrait of the late Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral in the country's capital Manila, Philippines Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Faithful react as they attend a Mass for the late Pope Francis, at the St. John Lateran Basilica, in Rome, Monday April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Christians attend a prayer services for late Pope Francis at the St. Anthony Church in Lahore, Pakistan, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
A woman lights a candle at the Catholic Cathedral Basilica of St Dionysius the Areopagite in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Italian army soldiers carrying an anti drone gun patrol the area in front of St. Peter's Square before a rosary prayer for the late Pope Francis, in Rome Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
The throne, used by Pope Francis during his March 2021 visit of the Mar Youssif Chaldean Church, is placed in the church in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
People pass by a portrait of Pope Francis at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Catholic priests hold a requiem Mass for the late Pope Francis at a church in Guwahati, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
An off-duty police officer carries a carton of eggs past a photo of Pope Francis at the entrance to the car museum where the three Popemobiles he used during his visit to Cuba are parked in Havana, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Faithful pray during a service for the late Pope Francis at St. Alexander's Rome Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv Ukraine, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
A photo of the late Pope Francis is projected onto the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Devotees attend a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Dili, East Timor, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Fatima da Costa Sony)
Fans and players stand during a moment of silence as a portrait of Pope Francis is displayed at Citi Field before a baseball game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
A woman prays during the morning Mass at the Christ the King Catholic Parish, in Accra, Ghana, Tuesday, Apr 22, 2025 (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)
A woman prays during the morning mass at the Sanctuaire d'adoration cathedral, following the announcement of Pope Francis's death in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Philippine Cardinal Jose Advincula officiates a Mass for the late Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral in Manila, Philippines Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man looks at a photo of the late Pope Francis projected onto the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
A man looks at a photo of the late Pope Francis projected onto the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Faithful hold candles during a Mass honoring the late Pope Francis under a highway bridge in the Carlos Mugica neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
A portrait of the late Pope Francis is projected onto a water fountain at Magic Water Circuit in Lima, Peru, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols speaks during a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A woman touches a portrait of Pope Francis inside St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church at Jebel Ali, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair)
Workers prepare an altar for the late Pope Francis at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
People attend a prayer service in the Saint Hedwig's Cathedral on the day Pope Francis died, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
People attend a religious service for the late Pope Francis, following the announcement of his death, at the St. Joseph cathedral in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Worshippers pray for Pope Francis during a Mass following the announcement of his death at the Cathedral in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, April 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Christian Palestinians attend a special prayer for the late Pope Francis after the news of his death at age 88, at the Holy Family Church in the Old City of Gaza, Gaza City, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Emerson Espinosa prays during a Mass in tribute to the late Pope Francis at the Cathedral in Bogotá, Colombia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols speaks during a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Graffiti artist Alexander Ikawah, paints Pope Francis on a canvas in Nairobi, Kenya Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
People light candles near a mural of the late Pope Francis during a vigil in Dili, East Timor, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo)
Catholic monks pray at San Francisco Church during a Mass in memory of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death, in Antigua, Guatemala, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Christians arrive with a portrait of Pope Francis for a prayer ceremony at the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection, in Lahore, Pakistan Monday, April 21, 2025, following the announcement by the Vatican of the death of Pope Francis. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
People light candles inside Notre Dame cathedral Monday, April 21, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
People are interviewed outside St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica in Toronto after the death of Pope Francis, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press via AP)
Photographed through the door of a confessional, a person prays during Mass in honor of Pope Francis, following the Vatican's announcement of his death, at the Cathedral in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
People stand next to a photograph of Pope Francis placed at Cathedral Basilica of Vilnius, Lithuania, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
People pray during a Mass in honor of the late Pope Francis at Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Cathedral in Asuncion, Paraguay, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
An Indian artist Sagar Kambli makes a painting of Pope Francis as a mark of tribute on a sidewalk in Mumbai, India, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A mourner lights a candle in front of a portrait of Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London, Monday, April 21, 2025, following the announcement by the Vatican of the death of Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Parishioners pray in front of a picture of Pope Francis at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
People photograph a mourning poster on the wall in central Naples, southern Italy, reading in Italian: 'You were the Pope of the last, with the ability to fight the first. Thank you for everything... Naples greets you", the day Pope Francis died at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta)
Graffiti artist Alexander Ikawah, paints Pope Francis on a canvas in Nairobi, Kenya Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
A woman prays during a mass at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption which visited Pope Francis visited in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A faithful holds a portrait of late Pope Francis at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Maria Teresa Delgado holds a portrait of the late Pope Francis during Mass at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
A woman prays during a mass at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption which visited Pope Francis visited in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A faithful holds a portrait of late Pope Francis at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
A woman wipes tears from her face during a mass at the the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption which Pope Francis visited in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A parishioner touches a painting of the late Pope Francis at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Patricia Sanchez attaches a rosary to a column of the Cathedral following the Vatican's announcement of Pope Francis' death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A worshipper cries during Mass at the Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following the Vatican's announcement of Pope Francis' death, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
People stand next to a photograph of Pope Francis placed at Saint Anthony Catholic church in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Maria Teresa Delgado holds a portrait of the late Pope Francis during Mass at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Employees of Kanisius Catholic bookstore pray with a cutout of Pope Francis in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)
Children walks in front of the Wangfujing Catholic Church also known as East Church in Beijing, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Church workers prepare an ornament depicting Pope Francis ahead of a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which was visited by Pope Francis in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A woman prays at the Basílica de San José de Flores, the church where the late Pope Francis worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
People stand next to a photograph of Pope Francis placed at Saint Anthony Catholic church in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Parishioners sit around a photo of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death at age 88 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
Believers sit in front of a photo of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death, during a Easter service at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, near the Vatican embassy, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A shop owner places a black ribbon over a photo of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death at age 88, in Bethlehem, West Bank, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Church workers prepare an ornament depicting Pope Francis ahead of a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which was visited by Pope Francis in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A nun walks in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican after Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell announced the death of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
A woman in traditional costume past by the Wangfujing Catholic Church also know as East Church in Beijing, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Catholic nun prays in front of a cutout of Pope Francis in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)
In this image released by Vatican media on Monday, April 21, 2025, Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell, second from left, flanked by, from left, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Substitute for the Secretariat of State, Cardinal Edgar PeÒa Parra, and Vatican Master of Ceremonies, Archbisop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, announces the death of Pope Francis at the Vatican. (Vatican Media via AP)
People gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican after the Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Images of the late Pope Francis is shown as a Catholic nun walks inside a church in Quezon city, Philippines Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Faithful react to the news of Pope Francis' death in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP)
A photo of the late Pope Francis is placed at the Basilica of the Agony or Gethsemane after the news of his death at age 88, in Jerusalem, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
A worker places a banner of the late Pope Francis on the front of Cathedral Nuestra Senora de La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
A family says a prayer in front of the portrait of the late Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral in the country's capital Manila, Philippines Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Faithful react as they attend a Mass for the late Pope Francis, at the St. John Lateran Basilica, in Rome, Monday April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Christians attend a prayer services for late Pope Francis at the St. Anthony Church in Lahore, Pakistan, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
A woman lights a candle at the Catholic Cathedral Basilica of St Dionysius the Areopagite in Athens, Greece, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Italian army soldiers carrying an anti drone gun patrol the area in front of St. Peter's Square before a rosary prayer for the late Pope Francis, in Rome Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
The throne, used by Pope Francis during his March 2021 visit of the Mar Youssif Chaldean Church, is placed in the church in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
People pass by a portrait of Pope Francis at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Catholic priests hold a requiem Mass for the late Pope Francis at a church in Guwahati, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
An off-duty police officer carries a carton of eggs past a photo of Pope Francis at the entrance to the car museum where the three Popemobiles he used during his visit to Cuba are parked in Havana, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Faithful pray during a service for the late Pope Francis at St. Alexander's Rome Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv Ukraine, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
A photo of the late Pope Francis is projected onto the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Devotees attend a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Dili, East Timor, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Fatima da Costa Sony)
Fans and players stand during a moment of silence as a portrait of Pope Francis is displayed at Citi Field before a baseball game between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
A woman prays during the morning Mass at the Christ the King Catholic Parish, in Accra, Ghana, Tuesday, Apr 22, 2025 (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)
A woman prays during the morning mass at the Sanctuaire d'adoration cathedral, following the announcement of Pope Francis's death in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Philippine Cardinal Jose Advincula officiates a Mass for the late Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral in Manila, Philippines Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A man looks at a photo of the late Pope Francis projected onto the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
A man looks at a photo of the late Pope Francis projected onto the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Faithful hold candles during a Mass honoring the late Pope Francis under a highway bridge in the Carlos Mugica neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
A portrait of the late Pope Francis is projected onto a water fountain at Magic Water Circuit in Lima, Peru, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols speaks during a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
A woman touches a portrait of Pope Francis inside St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church at Jebel Ali, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/ Fatima Shbair)
Workers prepare an altar for the late Pope Francis at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
People attend a prayer service in the Saint Hedwig's Cathedral on the day Pope Francis died, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
People attend a religious service for the late Pope Francis, following the announcement of his death, at the St. Joseph cathedral in Bucharest, Romania, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Worshippers pray for Pope Francis during a Mass following the announcement of his death at the Cathedral in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, April 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Christian Palestinians attend a special prayer for the late Pope Francis after the news of his death at age 88, at the Holy Family Church in the Old City of Gaza, Gaza City, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Emerson Espinosa prays during a Mass in tribute to the late Pope Francis at the Cathedral in Bogotá, Colombia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols speaks during a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Graffiti artist Alexander Ikawah, paints Pope Francis on a canvas in Nairobi, Kenya Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
People light candles near a mural of the late Pope Francis during a vigil in Dili, East Timor, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo)
Catholic monks pray at San Francisco Church during a Mass in memory of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death, in Antigua, Guatemala, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Christians arrive with a portrait of Pope Francis for a prayer ceremony at the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection, in Lahore, Pakistan Monday, April 21, 2025, following the announcement by the Vatican of the death of Pope Francis. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
People light candles inside Notre Dame cathedral Monday, April 21, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
People are interviewed outside St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica in Toronto after the death of Pope Francis, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press via AP)
Photographed through the door of a confessional, a person prays during Mass in honor of Pope Francis, following the Vatican's announcement of his death, at the Cathedral in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
People stand next to a photograph of Pope Francis placed at Cathedral Basilica of Vilnius, Lithuania, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
People pray during a Mass in honor of the late Pope Francis at Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion Cathedral in Asuncion, Paraguay, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
An Indian artist Sagar Kambli makes a painting of Pope Francis as a mark of tribute on a sidewalk in Mumbai, India, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
A mourner lights a candle in front of a portrait of Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London, Monday, April 21, 2025, following the announcement by the Vatican of the death of Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Parishioners pray in front of a picture of Pope Francis at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
People photograph a mourning poster on the wall in central Naples, southern Italy, reading in Italian: 'You were the Pope of the last, with the ability to fight the first. Thank you for everything... Naples greets you", the day Pope Francis died at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta)
Graffiti artist Alexander Ikawah, paints Pope Francis on a canvas in Nairobi, Kenya Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
A woman prays during a mass at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption which visited Pope Francis visited in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A faithful holds a portrait of late Pope Francis at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Maria Teresa Delgado holds a portrait of the late Pope Francis during Mass at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
A woman prays during a mass at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption which visited Pope Francis visited in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A faithful holds a portrait of late Pope Francis at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
A woman wipes tears from her face during a mass at the the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption which Pope Francis visited in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A parishioner touches a painting of the late Pope Francis at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Patricia Sanchez attaches a rosary to a column of the Cathedral following the Vatican's announcement of Pope Francis' death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A worshipper cries during Mass at the Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following the Vatican's announcement of Pope Francis' death, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
People stand next to a photograph of Pope Francis placed at Saint Anthony Catholic church in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Maria Teresa Delgado holds a portrait of the late Pope Francis during Mass at the Basílica de San José de Flores, where he worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)
Employees of Kanisius Catholic bookstore pray with a cutout of Pope Francis in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)
Children walks in front of the Wangfujing Catholic Church also known as East Church in Beijing, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Church workers prepare an ornament depicting Pope Francis ahead of a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which was visited by Pope Francis in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A woman prays at the Basílica de San José de Flores, the church where the late Pope Francis worshipped as a youth, following the Vatican's announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
People stand next to a photograph of Pope Francis placed at Saint Anthony Catholic church in Istanbul, Turkey, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Parishioners sit around a photo of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death at age 88 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov)
Believers sit in front of a photo of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death, during a Easter service at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, near the Vatican embassy, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A shop owner places a black ribbon over a photo of the late Pope Francis after the news of his death at age 88, in Bethlehem, West Bank, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Church workers prepare an ornament depicting Pope Francis ahead of a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which was visited by Pope Francis in 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
A nun walks in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican after Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell announced the death of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
A woman in traditional costume past by the Wangfujing Catholic Church also know as East Church in Beijing, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Catholic nun prays in front of a cutout of Pope Francis in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)
In this image released by Vatican media on Monday, April 21, 2025, Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell, second from left, flanked by, from left, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Substitute for the Secretariat of State, Cardinal Edgar PeÒa Parra, and Vatican Master of Ceremonies, Archbisop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, announces the death of Pope Francis at the Vatican. (Vatican Media via AP)
People gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican after the Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Images of the late Pope Francis is shown as a Catholic nun walks inside a church in Quezon city, Philippines Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Faithful react to the news of Pope Francis' death in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Monday, April 21, 2025. (Mauro Scrobogna/LaPresse via AP)
A photo of the late Pope Francis is placed at the Basilica of the Agony or Gethsemane after the news of his death at age 88, in Jerusalem, on Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
A group of Buddhist monks and their rescue dog are striding single file down country roads and highways across the South, captivating Americans nationwide and inspiring droves of locals to greet them along their route.
In their flowing saffron and ocher robes, the men are walking for peace. It's a meditative tradition more common in South Asian countries, and it's resonating now in the U.S., seemingly as a welcome respite from the conflict, trauma and politics dividing the nation.
Their journey began Oct. 26, 2025, at a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Texas, and is scheduled to end in mid-February in Washington, D.C., where they will ask Congress to recognize Buddha’s day of birth and enlightenment as a federal holiday. Beyond promoting peace, their highest priority is connecting with people along the way.
“My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s soft-spoken leader who is making the trek barefoot. He teaches about mindfulness, forgiveness and healing at every stop.
Preferring to sleep each night in tents pitched outdoors, the monks have been surprised to see their message transcend ideologies, drawing huge crowds into churchyards, city halls and town squares across six states. Documenting their journey on social media, they — and their dog, Aloka — have racked up millions of followers online. On Saturday, thousands thronged in Columbia, South Carolina, where the monks chanted on the steps of the State House and received a proclamation from the city's mayor, Daniel Rickenmann.
At their stop Thursday in Saluda, South Carolina, Audrie Pearce joined the crowd lining Main Street. She had driven four hours from her village of Little River, and teared up as Pannakara handed her a flower.
“There’s something traumatic and heart-wrenching happening in our country every day,” said Pearce, who describes herself as spiritual, but not religious. “I looked into their eyes and I saw peace. They’re putting their bodies through such physical torture and yet they radiate peace.”
Hailing from Theravada Buddhist monasteries across the globe, the 19 monks began their 2,300 mile (3,700 kilometer) trek at the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth.
Their journey has not been without peril. On Nov. 19, as the monks were walking along U.S. Highway 90 near Dayton, Texas, their escort vehicle was hit by a distracted truck driver, injuring two monks. One of them lost his leg, reducing the group to 18.
This is Pannakara's first trek in the U.S., but he's walked across several South Asian countries, including a 112-day journey across India in 2022 where he first encountered Aloka, an Indian Pariah dog whose name means divine light in Sanskrit.
Then a stray, the dog followed him and other monks from Kolkata in eastern India all the way to the Nepal border. At one point, he fell critically ill and Pannakara scooped him up in his arms and cared for him until he recovered. Now, Aloka inspires him to keep going when he feels like giving up.
“I named him light because I want him to find the light of wisdom,” Pannakara said.
The monk's feet are now heavily bandaged because he's stepped on rocks, nails and glass along the way. His practice of mindfulness keeps him joyful despite the pain from these injuries, he said.
Still, traversing the southeast United States has presented unique challenges, and pounding pavement day after day has been brutal.
“In India, we can do shortcuts through paddy fields and farms, but we can’t do that here because there are a lot of private properties,” Pannakara said. “But what’s made it beautiful is how people have welcomed and hosted us in spite of not knowing who we are and what we believe.”
In Opelika, Alabama, the Rev. Patrick Hitchman-Craig hosted the monks on Christmas night at his United Methodist congregation.
He expected to see a small crowd, but about 1,000 people showed up, creating the feel of a block party. The monks seemed like the Magi, he said, appearing on Christ’s birthday.
“Anyone who is working for peace in the world in a way that is public and sacrificial is standing close to the heart of Jesus, whether or not they share our tradition,” said Hitchman-Craig. “I was blown away by the number of people and the diversity of who showed up.”
After their night on the church lawn, the monks arrived the next afternoon at the Collins Farm in Cusseta, Alabama. Judy Collins Allen, whose father and brother run the farm, said about 200 people came to meet the monks — the biggest gathering she’s ever witnessed there.
“There was a calm, warmth and sense of community among people who had not met each other before and that was so special,” she said.
Long Si Dong, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth temple, said the monks, when they arrive in Washington, plan to seek recognition of Vesak, the day which marks the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha, as a national holiday.
“Doing so would acknowledge Vesak as a day of reflection, compassion and unity for all people regardless of faith,” he said.
But Pannakara emphasized that their main goal is to help people achieve peace in their lives. The trek is also a separate endeavor from a $200 million campaign to build towering monuments on the temple’s 14-acre property to house the Buddha’s teachings engraved in stone, according to Dong.
The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha himself as core for attaining enlightenment. It focuses on the mind-body connection — observing breath and physical sensations to understand reality, impermanence and suffering. Some of the monks, including Pannakara, walk barefoot to feel the ground directly and be present in the moment.
Pannakara has told the gathered crowds that they don't aim to convert people to Buddhism.
Brooke Schedneck, professor of religion at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, said the tradition of a peace walk in Theravada Buddhism began in the 1990s when the Venerable Maha Ghosananda, a Cambodian monk, led marches across war-torn areas riddled with landmines to foster national healing after civil war and genocide in his country.
“These walks really inspire people and inspire faith,” Schedneck said. “The core intention is to have others watch and be inspired, not so much through words, but through how they are willing to make this sacrifice by walking and being visible.”
On Thursday, Becki Gable drove nearly 400 miles (about 640 kilometers) from Cullman, Alabama, to catch up with them in Saluda. Raised Methodist, Gable said she wanted some release from the pain of losing her daughter and parents.
“I just felt in my heart that this would help me have peace,” she said. “Maybe I could move a little bit forward in my life.”
Gable says she has already taken one of Pannakara’s teachings to heart. She’s promised herself that each morning, as soon as she awakes, she’d take a piece of paper and write five words on it, just as the monk prescribed.
“Today is my peaceful day.”
Freelance photojournalist Allison Joyce contributed to this report.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," get lunch Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Aloka rests with Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A sign is seen greeting the Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Supporters pray with Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Supporters watch Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
A Buddhist monk ties a prayer bracelet around the wrist of Josey Lee, 2-months-old, during the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Bhikkhu Pannakara, a spiritual leader, speaks to supporters during the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Buddhist monks participate in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Buddhist monks participate in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Bhikkhu Pannakara leads other buddhist monks in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Audrie Pearce greets Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Bhikkhu Pannakara, a spiritual leader, speaks to supporters during the, "Walk For Peace," Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," arrive in Saluda, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)
Buddhist monks who are participating in the, "Walk For Peace," are seen with their dog, Aloka, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Saluda, S.C. (AP Photo/Allison Joyce)