London: Peace Walk and Floating Lantern Ceremony

Following the vigil at Westminster Cathedral, participants processed through the streets of London from Westminster Cathedral, past Victoria Station to the London Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park where there were reflections and interfaith prayers for those affected by the atomic bomb on Nagasaki in 1945. At least 74,000 people died on 8 August 1945. More than 140,000 had been killed two days before at Hiroshima. Many thousands more were to die later from radiation sickness.

The Rev Gyoro Nagase from the Nipponzan Myhoji Buddhist Order based in Battersea Park led the ceremony. There were also Christian prayers. One speaker urged those present to join the campaign against the increasing US military presence in Japan. On the island of Okinawa, which suffered huge civilian loss of life during World War Two, she said, the presence of large US military bases constantly conducting military exercises is adversely affecting people's lives and ruining the environment on the beautiful Pacific island.

At sunset the Lantern Ceremony began. One by one, paper lanterns representing the spirits of those who died in Nagasaki, were floated on the River Thames creating a stream of colour drifting towards Battersea Bridge and beyond.

See also: Peace prayers at Westminster Cathedral www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=30692

See more pictures on ICN's Facebook page.