Sacred Places
St. Anthony’s of Padua Catholic Church
A forest of eight-foot Peace Poles, decorated across faiths.
WHERE
Falls Church, VA
SETTING
Neighborhood
PARTNER INSTITUTION
St. Anthony's of Padua Catholic Church
Visit
Where it is
3305 Glen Carlyn Road, Falls Church, VA 22041
What happens here
The garden gives people a place to nourish their souls in quiet meditation and contemplation, and serves as a place for community gatherings of both the parish and the wider community. It is a resource available to individuals of all faiths, and to businesses and groups who wish to honour those who have passed.
HOW IT CAME TO BE
Peace across languages.
01
The Need
The parish sits in a diversely bustling community, and people in it needed somewhere for respite and comfort, or simply a moment of silence.
02
The Vision
The Peace and Remembrance Garden was to be open to all faiths. The Peace Poles were individually decorated with participation from Christian and Muslim faith communities as well as public and private schools, and the Peace Fountain was built specifically to accentuate the desire for peace across languages and cultures and the power that desire can carry.
03
The Transformation
Dedicated in 2005, the garden sits behind the church, enclosed on three sides by the church building and the rectory. Visitors enter through a forest of Peace Poles standing eight feet high. A stone path leads to the bubbling Peace Fountain, the focal point of the garden, and to a columbarium for the deceased.
