Among the Christmas decorations of the Mason-Dickson Committee of the Boy Scouts of America in Hagerstown, a special lantern has gone through a long journey.

The light of peace was once again brought from Bethlehem, Israel to the local BSA council office. The lantern will be recognized at a special ceremony at the Scout Service Center at 18600 Crestwood Avenue in Hagerstown at 2 pm on Monday.

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The public is invited not only to watch the lanterns displayed in the hall, but also to bring a stick or candle to catch part of the flame to bring to their homes or organizations during the Christmas holidays.

"There will be a non-denominational service where people can light a stick or a candle," Don Harriman, the interim reconnaissance executive. "They can transfer the flames to their own devices."

He said that during this holiday, the ceremony will be about peace and love.

The light of peace has a long history.

According to Peace Light North America, it has been burning for more than 1,000 years in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem, and many people believe that Jesus was born there.

According to the Peace Light North America website, the event was originally organized by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation in 1986 as part of a large charitable relief mission Light into Darkness to provide services to children in need in Austria and abroad.

According to the website, since then, especially after the fall of communism in 1989, the reconnaissance group has helped Light travel across 30 European countries.

The lamp was flown to the United States in 2000, but when the Austrian and British Peace Light organizers brought it to the United States in 2001, where it was taken to the ground zero in New York City, the lamp was acquired pay attention to.

Since then, Peace Light North America has arranged for the light to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport and be distributed across the country after a small ceremony.

Harriman said the light of peace had travelled from Israel to the Mason-Dixon Congress Center in Hagerstown in the past.

"This situation has been going on for several years," he said.

At the same time, Harriman said that in order to protect this historic lantern, it was placed in a special bulletproof box so that the flame can continue to burn as it spreads around the world.

Sherry Greenfield is an education reporter covering Washington County Public Schools and the Washington County Board of Education. Follow Sherry on Sheina2018 on Twitter or beckmangreenfield on Instagram.