Background: For those who didn't know, I'm half Thai and half Cambodian. Our New Year (in addition…read moreto other Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, Burma, Sri Lanka, etc.) is traditionally celebrated on April 13/14 and lasts for three whole days before the rainy season begins. I've gone to Wat Lao a few times over the years and I'm glad that I have a slice of my culture only 45 minutes away from home! The temple is located approximately 15 minutes past Manassas and there's plentiful parking around it. They have huge festivals for the Southeast Asian New Year and July 4th. Even if you're not Buddhist or Southeast Asian, you can still attend the festivals held at the temple. A small donation is suggested before you enter. In addition to tons of food vendors (pretty much any Southeast Asian food you can think of), they also have music, traditional dancers, and other entertainment throughout the grounds.

40th Annual Lao New Year Celebration reminded me how there is so much to explore in life. It was…read moreone of the best festivals I have attended. I met so many incredibly welcoming Lao people that do not stay shy to talk with you or explain some things. There is so much to see at the Buddhist compound and it is very peaceful, as if all the Buddhist reincarnations have taken a place already in order to create very friendly and calm people. There are markets with various products and clothes. Very popular booth was the one with Thai doughnuts made by friendly elderly Laotian couple. The whole atmosphere felt more festive and less commercialized then I am used to at other festivals. There is a stage with music/dance and there was a lot of food. It is very children friendly. My son loved letting fish in the pond for good luck (blessing) and he skipped other rites - food offering or water spilling. Interesting food item was sticky rice in a bamboo stick. You get it for $2 and they cut it with the machete and you enjoy food after you split the bamboo sides. There were all standard grilled items and pho's and fried vegetables. The food was cheaper than normal - great Pad Thai was $5 instead of usual $7. I felt so good at the festival and the access is the highway all the way, except for the last 4 scenic miles. I used to think of November as my favorite month because all the great local Scandinavian bazaars, but April is now so interesting with all the local South Asian New Year celebrations. Happy Lao New Year! P.S. They have two festivals a year - one in mid-April and another one on July 4th.

New to the parish but have met very few folks. No activities to foster finding a niche in the…read moreparish. Very conservative with sermons mainly covering Catholicism 101....fine for grade school kids. No thought provoking commentary nor complex challenging topics to inspire. Music is the one bright light for the praise and worship Mass but lots of chanting and Latin sung at other times, not to mention absolutely choking incense in over abundance. Activities focus on young men's groups , such as multiple retreats and holy hours. Why does exposition start in the evening and end in the early morning? No way to give voice to your concerns or suggestions..no email addresses for priests or staff published. It pretty obvious they are most interested in recruiting for vocations and for whatever benefits their own school students. Older parishioners are on their own. Supposedly a parish plan will be addressed in the spring but there has been no request for feedback from the congregation as a whole. Am not sure if there has ever been a parish council that has actually been involved in what goes on. Certain folks have been recruited to drive this plan from my understanding. Too bad the Church of the Nativity, Good Shepherd Catholic Church or St. John Neumann are just a little too far and most of the diocese as a whole is ultra-conservative (well known fact along with Nebraska) with the exception of a very few bright lights. Any vestige of Vatican II seems long swept away, sadly.

adding to earlier review. They are very slowly trying to increase activities for all. There are…read moremany ethnic celebrations which are very nice but still little for older parishioners to join....a prayer shawl group, book or reading group, lunch group, etc for retired folks during the day would be nice. Still huge emphasis on vocations for young men 18 to 35....lots of activities to snag those folks....resources not very equally spread among the congregation. Date night was started with pretty grim, not fun, lectures to hear, plus one brings a dish and THEN is encouraged to pay $25 per couple for the "dinner." We won't be returning. Plans to build an adoration chapel supersede updating the one grim bathroom facility in the vestibule or the side church entrance which is steep with a heavy door and dangerous step.... certainly not ADA compliant. We absolutely need that side door opened nonetheless to prevent a long walk up hill from the parking lot; however it is mostly locked despite requests to keep it open. C'mon folks.....we are Catholics yes, but we are human beings too in an aging population. The side entrance needs not just a sign that reads "step down"...how about fixing it? A crying room is sorely needed for the screaming kids who seem present during whichever service you attend. Please wake up, St. Leo's....you seem to be making an effort to be more inclusive, but the physical plant needs huge improvements and don't forget that those highly sought after young men have mothers, sisters, grandmothers, and other women in their homes who need spiritual nourishment as well. Statistics show that people are leaving the Catholic Church everywhere...please pay attention to ALL parishioners. ps...please don't ever tell me how to vote!!

Welcoming congregation that is very active supporting ministries in the local community and beyond!read more

I've visited here and came around underwhelmed…read more Let's start with the positive. Following my visit, I got a very prompt welcome note, which was much appreciated. On the down side, the vibe is just not good here. After services, I went to coffee hour, and I'm a pretty gregarious person. That said, not one single person said hello, and I never did find anyone with whom to talk. Also, an important disclaimer: My visit was not recent, and the church has been in transition. Fingers crossed that things are looking up at the church.

This Catholic Church serves primarily the Korean Catholic community in the area. However, they…read morehave an English mass every Sunday at 2 p.m.

April, 2025. My husband and I visited the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness)…read moretemple for the wedding of a Hindu friend and his new bride. The temple is set on a beautiful forested 12-acre tract in a suburb of Washington, DC. While most of the guests had links to Nepal, and spoke Newari and Nepali languages, the Hindu priest regularly took the time to explain, in English, what he was doing in the marriage rituals and their significance, before returning to the actual prayers in Sanskrit. The atmosphere was very festive, with a "stage" beautifully decorated with abundant flowers, and women all decked out in bright (especially red) saris and men wearing traditional vests and topi hats. While the ceremony was going on, guests were encouraged to visit the adjacent room for hearty "snacks" and mango lassis; there was a full vegetarian buffet for guests after the couple were declared husband and wife. It was a special day. After returning home (two hours away), I realized that I didn't know much about the temple, so I visited their website. ISKCON is dedicated to the practice of Krishna Consciousness, also known as Bhakti Yoga. It's monotheistic, with the belief that there is a single source of all life, Krishna. Values include equal vision, without cruelty, humility, choice, nurturing right choices, and affection. It is also referred to as the Hare Krishna Temple of Washington, DC. The temple is very welcoming to all (including non-Hindus) and offers an Open House on Sundays from 12-3. Guests are welcome to come for an hour or a day. They offer a meditation workshop, discussion groups, Kirtan (chanting), and a free vegetarian lunch (prasadam). We didn't know what was going on, but we were actually leaving the wedding at the same time that the lunch was going on. There were outdoor tents set up, and dozens of people enjoying their buffet lunches.

So I would rate my experience good, but I am going to balance it with my sister's perspective…read more Apparently, my sister was suppose to have a blessing ceremony done back when the pandemic hit. In fact, she had scheduled it before the pandemic and the pandemic caused all the states to shutdown a week before she was to do this. On the backend, there was a lot of slighting she felt this temple did or the priest. The priest had withheld funds and put it as a donation instead of just giving it back because a service was never given. Fast forward to a few days ago and he came through. Well, according to my perspective, had I not known about the backend of all this; I would state that he DEFINITELY came through. The blessing ceremony was first described to us in English and then in Sanskrit (which is necessary for the ceremony). Now days, I feel like any priest has to be able to be fluent in both English and Sanskrit as newer generations are never really taught Native Indian languages or meanings of Sanskrit. I also liked the fact that he offered us all coffee and water before performing the ceremony. It is almost like an Americanized...hey...have beer...kind of relationship. Just good etiquette. The crazy part was it was decaf! Man...there are hotels I am still after (Drury Inn...cough cough) who give beverages, but most options are caffeinated. He also stated that all beverages, soft drinks, the temple serves is also decaffeinated. I found that great. The food that was made in temple and offered was also delicious. Mutter paneer and cholay were great. They also like and adopted cats...there is a big grey one named Govinda. How cool is that?

Hidden gem. I love their weeknight Bible studies! Excellent teaching, wonderful people and not…read morestuffy religious.

Gateway is a terrific Church, that is very "user friendly". It is inclusive in its approach and…read morewhen you attend you always feel welcomed but not "solicited" to become member. I've attended Gatway for 2 1/2 years both in person and remotely. Ed Allen, the main pastor is a very gifted speaker and has a terrific way of making scripture apply to daily life. He's enthusiastic, sincere in his faith, and understands he not perfect, but wants to always give his best to guiding his parish down the path to a Christ centered life. His sermons are always well done and are a highlight of the services. Music is contemporary and well performed! i would say that perhaps they could use some added variety by including some of the more traditional hymns. Also, would be great to have a choir that more parishioners could be part of and even a Children's Choir to occasionally mix up the music a bit. But the Gateway worship band (made up of a rotating group of parish musicians and singers) lead by Jordan and Grace is usually very strong. They have lots of activities, small groups, and actively support a number of very worthy missions around the world. There is plenty of easy parking and it's a modern and very attractive building with a coffee bar at the services. And... lots of friendly people. I highly recommend Gate

This is one great place. We recently moved to the area and joined…read more You'll find it very welcoming, full of interesting people, and great ministry going on. Check it out.

This is a great church! The people are so friendly and nice. It's very comfortable and relaxing. I…read morego every Sunday to worship the Lord.

This Baptist church is a little over a year old now, and is led by a friendly pastor who is well…read moreeducated, bible bound, and delivers a relatable sermon. New Hope is currently located on the second floor above two other churches, and it may be difficult to find it your first time. You'll have to ask where to go, but you'll be glad you did, and it really is easy once you see how to navigate the halls. The church conducts an English speaking service at 1000 on Sunday, and a 1900 prayer meeting on Tuesdays. There is a Korean service at this same location, but that is conducted by a different church downstairs at 1130 (no translation service). I am so glad to have found this church. My wife is Korean but we both speak English, and it is nice that if she would like she can attend the separate Korean service. Both services offer Sunday school for the little ones, and our toddler loves it. There are also youth services for older children. The New Hope Korean Church is truly an inspiration, and I am certain that it will continue to grow well into the future. Come join us worship God as committed followers of Jesus Christ.