Tibetan monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery in the south of India will once again be visiting the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond, from May 8 through 13. The visit is hosted through the generosity of the church, along with Chrysalis Institute. The monks will create a sand mandala and teach meditation throughout their visit, raising money for their monastery of 2,000 monks. Monasteries are the center of Tibetan life in India since the expulsion of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1959.

       The opening ceremony will take place at 7 p.m., May 8, and meditation instruction will be held each day at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Wednesday through Friday. A Puja Healing Ceremony will take place at 7 p.m., May 9, and a family-friendly Snow Leopard Pageant will be held at 7 p.m., May 10. The week will conclude with a closing ceremony at 10 a.m., May 12. The closing ceremony will begin at the church and end at the Japanese Garden in Maymont with blessings using sand from the mandala.

 

Admission is free, donations are encouraged. Location: 1000 Blanton Ave. For more information, call 804-355-0777 or email [email protected].