Over 80 Buddhist monks and nuns from around the world are expected to attend a ceremony on Saturday, May 23, dedicating the Pacific Northwest Peace Pagoda.
The event in Poulsbo will take place less than 100 feet from the property line of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor.
The peace pagoda will be built behind this altar. The metal fence in the back marks Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, location of the largest number of deployed nuclear weapons in the U.S. (Photo from Northwest Dharma Association)
The pagoda was originally started near the submarine base in 1981 but the permit was revoked in 1982 by the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners. In 2019, Kitsap County issued a new permit and construction restarted at the same location.
Saturday’s ceremony will include the chanting of the Lotus Sutra, offerings, prayers for peace, and blessings by monastics and it is intentionally open and welcoming to the general public of all faiths.
The Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order was founded in 1917 and is known for its pacifist beliefs, and actions. The pagoda is the first Nipponzan Myohoji Peace Pagoda in the western United States.
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