ORMOND BEACH — A part of Prince of Peace Catholic Church’s campus will soon give way to the new Mary’s Peace Garden – a 6,000-square-foot outdoor sanctuary for “prayer, beauty and devotion” for the faithful, according to the church.
The project, which broke ground Aug. 6, consists of a 170-foot-long and 16-foot-wide paved walkway, along which 14 small monuments will reference The Stations of the Cross and lead to a brand-new marble statue of the Virgin Mary at the center — all of which will be surrounded by flowery landscaping and benches. The whole paved area will take the shape of the cross.
“The community is thrilled and happy, because Marian devotion is very much a part of Catholic faith,” said Rev. Justin Vakko, the church’s pastor, in an interview. “Our community has a lot of Marian activities, so we needed a nicer, bigger place.”
Mary’s Peace Garden will be located between the church’s main parking lot and Nova Road, adjacent to and south of the main church building. It will replace the current few, small statues honoring Mary.
“It will be a sanctuary of serenity in the heart of Ormond Beach where all are welcome to encounter peace, pray and reflect, and will be a generational gift to residents and visitors for years to come,” according to a press release from the church.
Statue, monument materials to come from Vietnam and Italy
Talks for a new outdoor garden came up two years ago, according to church council member Dominico Bui, who took the lead in the effort as project coordinator.
Part of his work involved securing the statues – both for the Stations of the Cross as well as the Virgin Mary – all of which will come from abroad. The 14 stations monuments were made in Vietnam, while Mary’s 900-pound marble statue will come from Italy.
The Stations of the Cross path will have seven pillars on each side of the walkway, each depicting a moment of Jesus Christ’s final journey to crucifixion, according to the church. Mary’s approximately 6-foot statue will be placed on top of a 5-foot base near the end of the walkway.
“In addition to providing spaces for private praying and reflecting, Mary’s Peace Garden will also have a large area for parish’s gatherings or outdoor social functions,” according to the church’s website.
Vakko said the new garden will be “very useful” to the church, as they hold outside praying services a couple of times throughout the year.
In addition, it’ll be the perfect spot for the church’s special anniversary celebration in 2026.
“It’s the 60th anniversary of our parish community,” Vakko said, adding that the new garden will also be partly dedicated to that occasion.
A new space for outdoor praying, more activities
Vakko said he hopes the new space, when finished, can be used by the parish community for more outdoor prayer activities, such as the church’s rosary group gatherings, as well as the yearly Mary crowining ceremonies (which symbolize Mary as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God).
Bui said there aren’t many gardens, grottos or outside spaces dedicated to Mary in the local church community.
“We have a small garden right now, but every day we have people who come and pray,” Bui said. “With this nice one, we’ll have benches so people can come pray and reflect. And it will be nice for the special services (dedicated to Mary) we have.”
The whole project will cost the church just under $400,000, Bui said. It has also received approval from the Orlando diocese.
To help with the costs, the church is seeking sponsors from the parish.
“And we have had a very good response,” Vakko said.
The project, Bui added, is “on the right track,” and he anticipates it will be completed by November.
Prince of Peace Catholic Church is located at 600 S. Nova Road. To learn more about Mary’s Peace Garden, visit princeofpeaceormond.com.
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