Hundreds attend 9/11 candlelight vigil in Rockville Centre

Nearly 300 Rockville Centre residents gathered at the Village Green on a cool evening last Sunday to honor the families and friends of those who were killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and view the unveiling of steel girders from the World Trade Center.

The 10th annual candlelight vigil featured speeches by local officials, first responders and victims’ family members and blessings by local clergy.

Attendees held memorial candles as the ceremony began with “America the Beautiful” played on bagpipes. Mayor Francis Murray praised the village for its response both during the attacks and in the difficult times after them. “There is no village that responded with more good will, with more generosity and with more fellow[ship] than Rockville Centre,” Murray said. “Out of tragedy came a togetherness that continues to this day.”

After Monsignor William Koenig’s invocation and a short speech by Sen. Dean Skelos, students in the South Side chorale sang an Irish blessing before family members were called forward to light a candle for each of the nearly 50 names on the Sept. 11 memorial. South Side middle and high school students read the names of the victims.

Before the steel was unveiled, family members of the victims expressed their gratitude for villagers’ support. “Simultaneously, we realized that this town, and our great country, was reaching out to us and we were reaching out to each other,” said Russ Siller, whose brother, Stephen, a firefighter, lost his life at the twin towers. “Somewhere, in the deepest recesses of our minds, we realized the whole country supported us.”

Rabbi Howard Diamond, the spiritual leader of the congregation of B’nai Sholom-Beth David, offered the ceremony’s closing prayer as well as a short explanation of his own experiences in the months leading up to the attacks. Former firefighter Larry Quinn introduced the World Trade Center steel, which will be on display at the Fire Department’s memorial on North Forest Avenue.

The steel, which was acquired by the village, once supported part of the 48th floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower.

“We hope all of those gathered here tonight,” Quinn said, “and in fact those from throughout the world, will never forget what happened in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.”