On Friday, July 24, 2026, Illinois’ non-profit Karmapa Center 16 will hold a traditional consecration ceremony for a life-sized bronze statue of Guru Rinpoche (a.k.a. Padmasambhava, the eighth-century Indian master credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet). The statue, crafted by an artisan in Nepal, will be installed in the middle of the pond located on the property.
Buddhist teacher Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche will lead the ceremony and offer a free public teaching on the life and teachings of Guru Rinpoche on Saturday, July 25. These events will take place both onsite at the Center and broadcast live online via Zoom.
Karmapa Center 16 was established near Zion, IL to commemorate His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the head of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to the statue, the Center is to eventually include a temple with a large shrine room and meditation hall to house the Parinirvana Stupa (a reliquary monument for His Holiness), a library, classrooms, and other buildings.
The site was chosen because Zion is where the Karmapa passed away at the Cancer Treatment Center of America on November 5, 1981, and is intended as pilgrimage site for Buddhists and a sacred space for everyone; dedicated to cultivating kindness, peace, understanding and compassion.
Considered by many to be a “living Buddha,” the 16th Karmapa was well-known for his great love for animals, especially birds of all kinds. Recent groundwork at the site included an expansion of the existing pond, which will offer a larger resting place for migrating birds such as the Canada Goose and several species of heron, while also providing water to prevent fire in case of emergencies.
For more information about the Center and its activities, please visit karmapacenter16.org, or email Co-Director Nick Vail at director<at>karmapacenter16.org.
