Lakeview Cemetery to host 31st Annual Christmas Box Angel vigil

Published on December 02, 2024

Lakeview Cemetery will host the 31st Annual Christmas Box Angel Candlelight Vigil on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

This gathering offers a meaningful space for those grieving the loss of a loved one to find comfort and connection. Attendees will gather at the cemetery office and proceed together to the Christmas Box Angel of Hope monument for the ceremony, followed by warm beverages and time to connect.

All are welcome to attend. The entrance to Lakeview Cemetery is located in the 2500 block of Seymour Avenue. Participants are asked to 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’ 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, Utah, on Dec. 6, 1994 – a significant date corresponding with the child's death in Evans' book.

Today, there are over 120 Christmas Box Angel of Hope statues across the United States, Canada, and Japan, each serving 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.

For more information about the vigil, contact Spencer Straub at 307-630-9663 or spfed5022@gmail.com