A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 6 Number 38 - Tuesday, September 21st, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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Southland remembers Boy Scout's Twin Towers memorial part of 9-11 anniversary events held across the area
By Jason Freeman On Saturday, shadowed in the sorrowful, silent remembrance of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, many villages around the suburbs held ceremonies to honor the fallen. In Homer Glen, at the Homer Township Administration Building on 151st Street, dozens of people gathered to dedicate a 9-11 memorial built by 14-year-old Homer Glen Boy Scout Shaun Murphy. The memorial, which was constructed out of glass and cement and is built to resemble the Twin Towers, was started on May 5 and required the efforts of Boy Scout Troop 63 and Homer Glen to complete. "It was fun to build it," said Shaun, who proposed the idea to the village board earlier this year. "Now I can say that I actually made something that's going to last a long time." The ceremony began with the raising of the American flag on a pole that stands directly in front of the monument, then proceeded with an emotional rendition of the Pledge of Allegiance. After a moment of silence and a speech from Shaun, representatives from the Homer Glen fire, police and EMT departments read a poem titled "Don't Cry for Me." "For the people of Homer Township, this is so wonderful," said Ethel Rodriguez, Homer Glen town clerk. "It's great to have something like this that will be with us not only now but for many years to come." The base of the memorial was built in the shape of a pentagon and contained several bricks that had inspirational words inscribed on them such as "Heroes of 9-11" and "Remember September 11th." The memorial is surrounded by lights so that people will be able to view it at night, officials said. Earlier Saturday, St. Luke the Evangelist Orthodox Church in Palos Hills held a church service at 9:30 a.m. in remembrance of the victims of the 9-11 attacks. A beam from the World Trade Center towers, acquired by the church two years ago, was placed in the center of the pews. The Rev. Andrew Harrison, along with two church priests, made the trip to New York in 2002 after Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave them permission to take the beam from the wreckage. "This was a nice event for the community," said Lee Kopulos, the church's lay chairman. "I think that many people are consoled by (a service) like this. It's just a good way for people to get it out of their soul." Although the service was standard for a Saturday, those who died on 9-11 were honored at the end with a special prayer. The beam, usually on display in the church's front narthex, will be a part of St. Luke's 9-11 services for years to come, officials said.
"We feel that
anything that will lift the spirit of America is
very important," Kopulos said. "(Services like
these) will help to cure man's ills." |
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