Nearly 100 names were read as candles were lit simultaneously during the interfaith service, which included Hebrew scripture, native American song, an Islamic prayer, a Buddhist meditation and a reading of the Christian beatitudes.
The service, now in its 27th year, allowed open reflection for people to come to the altar and share the names and a memory of their relatives who had died.
"We are here to remember those who died of natural causes, of illness and of injustices," said Father Stephen Newton during the ceremony. Roger Fuchs, pastor of Operation Nightwatch, shared a poem, "If Not You," that he composed specifically for the day.
