Buddhist monks' 15-week walk for peace ends in Washington, DC

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Buddhist monks — bearing a message of peace — walked into the heart of Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, greeted by large, joyful crowds as they completed their 15-week trek from Texas.

In their saffron and maroon robes, the monks became fixtures on social media as they made their way through the southeastern United States, along with their rescue dog Aloka.

Their simple mission, to advocate for peace, has resonated across a beleaguered country — and appeared especially welcome in a city at the center of political strife and power.

Thousands gathered along icy sidewalks to watch the monks’ quiet procession that began in late October.

In the afternoon, the monks stopped at the Washington National Cathedral, where they were joined by more than 100 other Buddhist monks and nuns.

“It is overwhelming for us,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, the group’s charismatic and soft-spoken leader, on the steps of the cathedral.

Flanked by dozens of faith leaders across traditions — including Washington Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who helped host the interfaith gathering — Pannakara was visibly moved by their shared cause for peace.

“This is the moment I will remember for the rest of my life,” he said. “And I hope you do the same.”

As the monks walked single-file down city streets, people cheered them. Some shushed the crowds, urging them to be silent and reverent. But the monks acknowledged the people’s enthusiasm with subtle nods and smiled at those calling out “Sadhu!” — an expression in Buddhism that means “well done.”

Nearly 3,500 people packed American University’s Bender Arena for the monks’ first public stop in Washington. But no raucous sports cheers greeted them: Spectators remained silent as they walked into the arena, as a sign of respect for the monks and their quest for peace.

The trek has had its perils. In November outside Houston, the monks were walking on the side of a highway when their escort vehicle was hit by a truck.  Two monks were injured; Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated.

Phommasan, abbot of a temple in Snellville, Georgia, rejoined the monks near Washington and entered American University’s arena in a wheelchair.

Phommasan’s return was moving for Jackson Vaughn, 33, who's used a wheelchair since 2024. He has been traveling beside the monks for a week, since they came through his hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

“There are so many things happening in the world,” said Vaughn, who was among the crowd at the university entrance. “To see people gathering peacefully and setting an example, I think, is a wonderful thing.”

He was grateful to fellow travelers who helped him navigate icy roads.

“I have been on this journey of trying to find my independence,” Vaughn said. “But this really shows how connected we really are.”

The monks have been surprised to see their message transcend ideologies. Millions have followed them online, and crowds have greeted them at numerous venues, from a church in Opelika, Alabama, to City Hall in Richmond, Virginia.

Kristin Williams, 42, brought her two children, ages 8 and 10, to view the procession outside the cathedral.

“I wanted them to not just witness history but witness the power of coming together,” she said. “The movement they’ve been building for the past couple of months has been really powerful to watch grow.”

Over 20,000 people tuned in to watch the live feed Tuesday — logging on from places ranging from Jamaica and Germany to Sri Lanka and Thailand. Even as the occasional critic surfaced in the comments section, viewers seemed to heed the monks’ message as they wished that person to find peace.

Nineteen monks began the 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) journey from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth on Oct. 26, 2025. They came from Theravada Buddhist monasteries around the globe, led by Pannakara, who is vice president of the Fort Worth temple.

Long Si Dong, a spokesperson for the temple, said the walk is neither a political movement nor is it focused on advocacy or legislation.

“It’s a spiritual offering, an invitation to live peace through everyday actions, mindful steps and open hearts,” he said. “We believe when peace is cultivated within, it naturally ripples outward into society.”

Peace walks are a cherished tradition in Theravada Buddhism. Some of the monks have walked barefoot or in socks during parts of the journey, to feel the ground directly and be present in the moment.

The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha that focuses on breath and the mind-body connection. Pannakara’s peace talks, given at stops along the way, have urged listeners to put down their phones and find peace within themselves.

On Tuesday, the monks completed 108 days of walking. It’s a sacred number in Buddhism, representing spiritual completion, cosmic order and the wholeness of existence.

On Wednesday, the monks plan to walk through Capitol Hill and hold a closing ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial.

Their return trip should be less arduous. After an appearance at Maryland’s Capitol, a bus will take them back to Texas, where they expect to arrive in downtown Fort Worth early on Saturday.

From there, the monks will walk together again, traversing 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) to the temple where their trip began.

Bharath reported from Los Angeles.

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.

Monk Bhikkhu Pannakara waves as Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace walk through a the streets of Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace walk through a neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Spectators watch as Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace walk through a neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace are escorted by Metropolitan Police Department officers as they walk along the C&O Canal and Potomac River on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Monk Bhikkhu Pannakara waves as Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace walk through a neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace walk through a neighborhood on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace are escorted by Metropolitan Police officers as they walk along the C&O Canal and Potomac River on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A Texas man was put to death Wednesday evening for fatally stabbing his girlfriend and her 8-year-old son in 2013, apologizing profusely to her older son who survived with multiple stab wounds and witnessed the execution.

Cedric Ricks, 51, was pronounced dead at 6:55 p.m. CDT following a lethal dose of the sedative pentobarbital at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.

He was condemned for the May 2013 killings of 30-year-old Roxann Sanchez and her son Anthony Figueroa at their apartment in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Bedford. Sanchez’s 12-year-old son, Marcus Figueroa, was stabbed 25 times and feigned death in order to survive.

Ricks apologized repeatedly to seven relatives of his victims who looked on, particularly Marcus Figueroa. The attack survivor showed no emotion, watching through a glass window just steps from where Ricks was strapped to a gurney. On the back of Marcus Figueroa’s neck, visible above his shirt collar and below his hair, were several scars apparently from the attack.

“I want to say that I’m sorry for taking Roxann and Anthony from y’all,” Ricks said when asked by the warden if he had a final statement. “I’m glad to be able to speak to tell y'all that face to face.”

He said he hoped one day that his victims’ relatives would be able to find it in their hearts to forgive him. He also addressed Marcus Figueroa, saying he hated that he took his mother and brother away.

“I always thought about you and I’m sorry that I took your mom and your brother away. I hate that you had to experience that, I just can’t imagine, but I’m truly sorry for what I’ve done, and I wish y’all peace and joy as much as you can but I’m sorry, that’s all I can say," Ricks said. His voice cracking and tear forming in his eye, he added that he hoped to find the woman and her son in heaven and “tell them I'm sorry face to face.”

“I hope y’all go in peace. I really do. I’m sorry," he concluded before the injection began.

As the drug took effect, he took 19 quick breaths, then made 10 snoring sounds, followed seconds later by some intermittent gurgles. Then all movement and sounds stopped, and he was pronounced dead 30 minutes after the injection had begun.

Among the other witnesses were Roxann Sanchez’s stepfather and brother, and Anthony Figueroa’s father, brother and grandmother. None of them showed any emotion in the death chamber witness area and declined to speak with reporters afterward.

The night of the killings, prosecutors said, Ricks and Sanchez had been arguing in their apartment when the woman's two sons from a previous marriage tried to break up the fight. Ricks grabbed a knife from the kitchen and began to stab Sanchez multiple times, court records showed.

Marcus Figueroa ran to his bedroom closet and tried to call police. After killing Anthony Figueroa, Ricks began stabbing Marcus Figueroa, who played dead until his attacker left the apartment, authorities said. Ricks did not harm his own then-9-month-old son Isaiah, according to court records. Ricks fled and was later arrested in Oklahoma.

At his ensuing capital murder trial, Ricks testified that he had anger issues and had been defending himself against the two boys after they had come to their mother’s defense.

“Explaining my rage, I was upset. Things happen. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I wish I could bring them back, like, right now,” said Ricks, who also apologized at the time for the killings.

A day before the stabbings, Ricks had appeared in court after having been charged with assaulting Sanchez during a previous incident.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Ricks' final appeal without comment. His attorneys had argued that prosecutors violated Ricks’ constitutional rights by eliminating potential jurors on the basis of race while selecting the trial panel.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office said court records show the prosecution’s jury selection decisions were “race neutral” and lower courts have already concluded that prosecutors’ actions were not discriminatory.

And earlier this week, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Ricks’ request to commute his death sentence or grant a 90-day reprieve.

Ricks was the second person put to death this year in Texas and the sixth in the country. Texas has historically held more executions than any other state.

Charles “Sonny” Burton, a 75-year-old inmate in Alabama, had been scheduled for execution Thursday. But Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday commuted his death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Burton had been condemned for a fatal shooting during a 1991 robbery at an auto parts store even though he didn’t pull the trigger.

Lozano reported from Houston. Follow Juan A. Lozano: https://x.com/juanlozano70

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Texas death row inmate Cedric Ricks. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)

This undated photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Texas death row inmate Cedric Ricks. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP)