LOS ANGELES, Calif.–City officials began a weekend of Sept. 11 memorial events at City Hall this morning.
Council President Eric Garcetti presented a panel of the city’s senior religious leaders in City Council chambers to preview “One Light,” a memorial event at City Hall Saturday night.
Religious congregations from across the region will light 500 lanterns on the steps of City Hall.
The denominations will take the lanterns to their respective houses of worship. “We may be many, but we are also one,” Garcetti said.
He reminded the council that three of the Sept. 11 flights were headed to Los Angeles. “They had Angelenos on them. As we reflect on that day, Los Angeles’ history will always be tied into what happened on Sept. 11,” Garcetti said.
The “One Light” event is the brainchild of Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese Bishop John Bruno. He urged city officials to promote peace and tolerance.
“We can be transformers. We can change the world around us with simple acts of kindness,” Bruno said.
Rabbi Mark Diamond blew the shofar, a ram’s horn used in Jewish ceremonies as a call to remembrance.
The leaders of the Los Angeles Religious Council read the names of 32 people from Southern California who died in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Meanwhile, 10 U.S. flags stood on the south steps of City Hall for a noon ceremony led by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and honor first responders.
Bradley Burlingame, whose brother Charles “Chic” Burlingame was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which was hijacked and crashed by terrorists into the Pentagon, will speak.
Fire Chief Brian Cummings and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck also are scheduled to speak.
LAPD helicopters are expected to perform the “missing man” formation.
The Los Angeles Fire Department is expected to hold its annual ceremony Sunday at Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center.
