Thursday, February 12, 2026

This Week in Religion - 'Walk for Peace' arrives in Washington, D.C.

Lead story

Buddhist monks walk as people gather to watch.

Editor's note:

They made it. A group of Buddhist monks and their dog finally arrived at their destination after walking from Texas to Washington, D.C. – and inspiring millions along the way. The Associated Press’ Tiffany Stanley and Deepa Bharath documented the monks' arrival in the nation’s capital and the spectacle of thousands of supporters lining the streets to greet them and hear them speak. For the past 15 weeks, similar scenes have played out in Southern towns all along their 2,300-mile (3,700-kilometer) route. The Theravada Buddhist monks undertook a demanding trek for peace, and that simple message has resonated across the U.S. as a welcome respite from conflict and political divisions. 

A portrait of Holly Meyer, Religion News Editor at The Associated Press.
 

Religion News

Minneapolis Native communities fight fear of ICE with traditional ritual and prayer

In Minneapolis, many Native people say they are reluctant to leave their homes for fear of being detained by federal ICE agents. By Fiona Murphy/Religion News Service

Israel's president visits Sydney's Bondi Beach massacre site and meets victims' families

President Isaac Herzog started a state visit aimed at consoling grieving Australian Jews and improving bilateral relations by laying a wreath and stones at the site of a deadly antisemitic attack in Sydney. By Rod McGuirk/The Associated Press

Several of these groups are connected with ZOE, an emerging network of progressive Christian student ministries. By Kathryn Post/Religion News Service

The wooden Cross of the Athletes stands beside an altar in a Catholic Church.

A Catholic cross like no other is a beacon of unity in Olympic host city Milan

The Cross of the Athletes has arrived in Milan for the Winter Games and holds pride of place beside the main altar in the Basilica of San Babila. By María Teresa Hernández/The Associated Press

Emerging artists push Christian genre boundaries with rap, Afrobeats and R&B music

A new wave of Christian artists from various backgrounds is drawing young audiences to faith-based rap, Afrobeats and R&B. By Charlotte Kramon/The Associated Press 

 

Commentary and Analysis

The Catholic Church's teachings on 'just war' have guided leaders' long history of opposing many military interventions. By Gerard F. Powers for The Conversation

'If Jewish identity is built only on shared trauma,' said the Australian rabbi who led Chabad of Bondi, 'then we hand our children a burden and not a gift.' By Steven Burg/Religion News Service

The 2011 revolution transformed religious life in unexpected ways – especially among some young Egyptians. By Nareman Amin for The Conversation

In some cultures, menstruation and childbirth are treated as polluting, not life-giving. One Buddhist text’s interpretation of ‘Blood Pond Hell’ shows how far such beliefs go – and how women respond. By Megan Bryson for The Conversation

 
People gather around a cross laid with many candles.

Believers attend an Orthodox service for the 'sanctification of honey' at the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Church in the town of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, marking the feast day of St. Haralambos, the Orthodox patron saint of beekeepers. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)

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