Mary Ann Petrocelli, Allison Mountjoy, and Kate Farley all lit luminaria to greet the return of the sun and longer days on Dec. 21 at the Barton Street P-Patch at 34th and Barton Street SW. CLICK THE PHOTO ABOVE TO SEE MORE OR SEE THE GALLERY BELOW THE STORY.
Kate Farley, one of the prime organizers of the Barton Street P-Patch wants to start a new tradition. She started on Dec. 21, the shortest day and the longest night of the year, to light lumniaria in the garden. It's a way of announcing the return of the sun. From the Solstice on the days will get longer.
She and two friends came out to do the honors and light the votive candles in the lunch sacks and place them on the walls of the garden. Mary Ann Petrocelli, Allison Mountjoy, and Kate Farley poured sand in the bags and placed them atop the walls of the garden.
"It's a very healing thing and I did it to greet the season but in my mind were other reasons right now that people need healing."