The 28th Weekly Sunday Prayer Vigil
By Philip Cardella February 9, 2026
US 41 Near Mile Marker 48 in Florida
Despite a start time under three hours before the beginning of what Miamians call the Benito Bowl (that's the Super Bowl with Bad Bunny–Benito Ocasio–as the halftime performer) well over 100 people showed up for the 28th weekly Sunday prayer vigil across from the so-called Alligator Alcatraz immigrant detention camp between Miami and Naples, Florida.
Philip Cardella
Includes 9 other photos from this prayer vigil.
The average attendance for the last two months has been well over 100 per week–with at least two going over 200 people out in a clearing across the street from the entrance to where the immigrant tent detention camp sits. While the press continues to focus on other news (WLRN did a short story on the 28th prayer vigil, which was impressive given they weren't there and the story lacks much substance–but at least they published something!), the vigils continue to attract both regular attenders and first time attenders each week.
This particular week's vigil included something of a celebrity in Vermin Love Supreme, American performance artist and activist who has run as a novelty candidate in various local, state, and national elections in the United States [from wikipedia], who calls himself Vermin Love Supreme.
Another national figure, this one representing the United Methodist Church, the Rev. Dr. Lydia Muñoz, the Director of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries for the denomination based out of Washington DC, spoke (and sang!) at the 28th weekly vigil.
The 28th vigil, facilitated by the Rev. Roy Terry of Cornerstone-Naples United Methodist Church, who has attended many of the vigils since the first one in August of 2025, this week's vigil featured mostly clergy members of the denomination, but, frankly, the United Methodists brought some fire with them.
In the video below a retired UMC pastor, after waddling over to the music stand with the mic, gives a brief barn burner including his admission that he didn't expect to be "dealing with this shit" at 86 before ending the vigil with a five word prayer/benediction: "Deliver us from evil. Amen."
This video offers an overview of the 28th weekly Sunday prayer vigil at the site.
Vigil regulars are frustrated with the press, but it is frankly understandable that with the world so crazy and with press rooms so strapped for reporters, that the attention from the now six month old detention center waivers.
The frustration with the vigil regulars is likewise understandable as the abomination on US 41, a major tourist road in South Florida known for the eight ecosystems travelers cross in under 90 miles, persists and yet garners relatively little press coverage.
This doesn't mean its out of the news entirely, however.
As South Florida has been quite cold (for South Florida) some stories about how inmates are keeping warm have come out, like this one by Kyle J. Foster for The News-Press in Ft. Meyers/Naples.
, The News-Press
And the lawsuit forcing the State of Florida and Federal government to share their communications on who is paying for the detention center have always mades some headlines.
, The News-Press
, The News-Press
And more information about how detainees are treated there have published in the last several days.
, The News-Press
Yet, for a detention center that has seen more than 1000 people go missing, is costing some group of taxpayers at least half a billion dollars–though which tax payers is unclear–it stays mostly out of sight, like the million or so alligators that live in Florida.
Taija PerryCook
