CHEYENNE, Wyo. — An upcoming vigil is set to offer space and comfort for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
Lakeview Cemetery will host its 31st Annual Christmas Box Angel Candlelight Vigil at 7 p.m. this coming Friday. Attendees will gather at the cemetery office and proceed to the Christmas Box Angel of Hope monument for the ceremony, after which there will be warm beverages and time to connect.
The entrance to Lakeview Cemetery is located on the 2500 block of Seymour Avenue. Participants may bring a candle, and, if they wish, a white flower to place at the base of the angel.
The ceremony is inspired by Richard Paul Evans’s book, “The Christmas Box,” which tells the story of a widow who mourns the loss of her child at the base of an angel monument and discovers the first gift of Christmas. In response to the growing demand for a dedicated space to grieve and heal, the first Angel of Hope statue was unveiled in Salt Lake City on Dec. 6, 1994 — a significant date corresponding with the child’s death in Evans’s book.
Over 120 Christmas Box Angel of Hope statues currently exist across the United States, Canada and Japan. Each serves as a beacon of comfort for those in need. Cheyenne’s Angel of Hope monument was added in August 2000 after two years of fundraising by the Straub and Wells families.
To learn more information about the vigil, contact Spencer Straub at 307-630-9663 or spfed5022@gmail.com.
