ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 The Cathedral of St. Luke in downtown Orlando held a special memorial service Thursday to remember the 49 victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, marking 10 years since the tragic night that changed the city forever.<\/p>\n
The pews were filled as mourners gathered for a Requiem Eucharist, a service similar to a funeral mass, to honor those lost on June 12, 2016. During the service, each of the 49 victims\u2019 names was read aloud, and the church bells tolled 49 times\u2014one for each life taken.<\/p>\n
Canon Dan Smith wore a special stole during the service that carries deep meaning for the cathedral.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe stole that I\u2019m wearing today was a gift from a mother of one of the victims of Pulse, and it has all 49 names on it of the people who were killed that night,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
The cathedral holds a special place in the community\u2019s healing journey. Ten years ago, it was the site of the funeral for 21-year-old Christopher \u201cDrew\u201d Leinonen, one of the Pulse victims. His mother gave the stole to the cathedral after that service.<\/p>\n
Orange County Sheriff Mina attended Thursday\u2019s memorial, emphasizing that the community continues to remember.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because it\u2019s been 10 years doesn\u2019t mean that we\u2019re going to forget about them,\u201d Mina said. \u201cI think it\u2019s also a way to show the families of the victims that we\u2019re not going to forget their loved ones ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Father Garrett Puccetti, who helped lead the service, acknowledged that the tragedy still impacts Orlando today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis shooting changed the face of Orlando. It changed our community, and 10 years on, time does not heal all wounds,\u201d Puccetti said.<\/p>\n
Despite the pain, church leaders say the message of the day was to choose love over hate and to find ways to bring peace to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that what they take away is that they, in their own way and in their own lives, can stand between those who would spew hatred and those who receive it,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n
The service was livestreamed on the cathedral\u2019s Facebook page for those who couldn\u2019t attend in person. Church leaders say they plan to continue holding memorial services annually to ensure the victims are never forgotten.<\/p>\n
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