no services, but candles can be lit in
memory and celebration. Created
and built in the early 1950s by a for-
mer student of Frank Lloyd Wright,
the award-winning chapel is sym-
bolically built on a 200 ft. high rock
with sprawling, unique views of the
surrounding red rock country.
Peace Tour photos
by Wib Middleton
l Cathedral Rock, also a Se-
dona vortex site, is one of the most
celebrated formations in Red Rock
country. Cathedral Rock has been
included in several photography
books enumerating the most sacred
places on the planet, and is one of
the all-time favorites of environ-
mentalists, hikers, and seekers of
spiritual space and peace. There are
opportunities for an ambitious hike
and climb up to the “saddle” be-
tween the spires of Cathedral and/
or a stroll to Oak Creek at its base.
l The Peace Garden at the Se-
dona Creative Life Center was dedi-
cated to the 17th Karmapa of Tibet
in 2005. Shirley Karris, founder of
the Center, had the intent of bring-
ing together the wisdom of the East
and West to create peace. After the
2011 shooting in Tucson, Gardens
for Humanity initiated the planting
of “healing trees,” on February 14,
both Valentines Day and Arizona
Statehood Day. This was done with
the goal of healing Arizona and ded-
icating people’s actions to improving
human relations.
l peace Galleries. Built on the
banks of Oak Creek in 1973 by Abe
Miller, Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts
Village hosts numerous stores,
galleries, restaurants, and a small
chapel, all created in the style of
Old Mexico. Of particular interest
on the tour are two art galleries de-
voted to peace and its visual inter-
pretation. Honshin Fine Art encour-
ages visitors to “take the journey
from your head to your heart” in
exploring the beauty of all things.
The Andrea Smith Gallery promotes
the message that peace comes from
finding peace within and features
sacred art and original works of
world peace artists.
l Oak Creek Canyon, famed
for its natural environmental
beauty, is a 13-mile steep walled
and forested canyon just north of
Uptown Sedona on 89A. It hosts one
of the few perennial small rivers of
the Southwest and features hairpin
turns as it winds its way to Flagstaff,
with several points to park, walk,
and hike. Evidence indicates that
native tribes treated Oak Creek and
the Sedona red rocks similarly—
people did not live here, but used
the lands for rituals of restoration
l Chapel of the Holy Cross.
Meant as a place for reflection and
meditation for all who come, the
visitor is first greeted by the sign
“peace to all who enter.” There are
Indian Gardens on Oak Creek