We are grateful to those who have dedicated luminaria to loved ones. Each person will be remembered in the prayers of the Friars from Christmas to New Year’s Eve.
We hope next year to be back together, in person, at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America.
This year, we will hold “Seven Nights of (Virtual) Lights” on our online Luminaria Tribute Site, which will allow us to remember and pray for your loved ones despite restrictions on programs at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America due to the pandemic.
Names of Your Loved Ones Will Be Posted Online
Your loved ones’ names will be listed on the Luminaria Tribute Site from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve and included in the daily prayers of the friars at the Franciscan Monastery, as is our tradition. (Please donate your virtual luminaria by Dec. 15, 2020.)
Special Tribute in Honor of Br. Sebastian
Our founding Franciscan Friar, Brother John-Sebastian Laird-Hammond, OFM, died of Covid-19 on March 20, 2020. This year’s virtual “Seven Nights of Lights” honors Br. Sebastian’s memory and service.
The virtual luminarias will allow us to continue to honor your loved ones and to support the care and preservation of the Monastery gardens, as well as the Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild’s fresh farm program, critical to help address hunger in our community, while also following Covid-related restrictions on group activities.
The Garden Guild is grateful for your past support. We hope you will join us this year so we may continue our programs, and we hope and pray that you and your loved ones continue to stay as safe as possible.
Note: The in-person luminaria takes a large team of volunteers and it is not possible to safely set up the luminaria within the health and safety guidelines currently in place in the District of Columbia, but you can enjoy photos from past years here and also see the names posted this year.
In the interest of public health and safety, local governments have issued restrictions on certain activities, such as “stay at home” as much as possible, and no public gatherings in groups larger than 10 persons, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In keeping with these guidelines, the Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild decided to cancel our Annual Herb & Plant Sale, originally scheduled for April 25 & 26, 2020.
The Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild thanks you so much for your past support and interest in our activities. We hope that you and your loved ones stay as safe as possible during these times. Check back on this website for any future updates.
Thank you for your understanding. Be safe.