August 6 will mark the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima, followed by the Aug. 9 bombing of Nagasaki. As it has for approximately 50 years, Doylestown Friends Quaker Meeting will hold a vigil on Aug. 6 in the center of Doylestown Borough.
Origami cranes, which have become a symbol of the commemoration of the bombings and a commitment to peace and nuclear disarmament, will be distributed. Participants are welcome to make their own peace cranes for display, too.
The origin of the origami peace crane is believed to have begun with Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who survived the bombing of Hiroshima and soon developed leukemia from the attacks. As she received care in the hospital, Sasaki folded hundreds of cranes before her death.
The annual event joins people who care about peace to create awareness of the nuclear threat, share information and learn about Quakers’ long history of working for peace, said organizers. Those who are interested are invited to attend a time of quiet contemplation at the Friends Meetinghouse at 95 E. Oakland Ave. before the vigil, which starts at 5 p.m. at the intersection of State and Main streets.
The Religious Society of Friends is also known as the Quakers. Members refer to each other as Friends. The Quaker testimonies are the ways Quakers live and act based on their beliefs. Doylestown Friends meet on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Doylestown Meetinghouse.
For more information, contact Dana Morris-Bauer at 215-260-3781 or visit DoylestownQuakers.org.
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