Catholic peace group to honor victims of nuclear weapons with lantern ceremonies

The group is encouraging communities around the world to honor victims of nuclear weapons through lantern float ceremonies this summer.

A Catholic group is honoring victims of nuclear weapons by helping to organize lantern floating ceremonies throughout the world.

Pax Christi International, a Catholic peace movement, is working with the Hiroshima Coventry Club (Touro Project) to organize the “Lanterns for Peace: from Hiroshima to the World” campaign around the world.

“Inspired by the lantern ceremonies held each year in Hiroshima, the campaign invites communities around the world to organize local commemorative events using traditional lanterns as symbols of remembrance, peace, hope, and nuclear disarmament,” the Lanterns for Peace June 15 announcement read.

The lantern ceremonies will mark the anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima on Aug. 6 and Nagasaki on Aug. 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 honor 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.