WORCESTER--Surrounded by a sea of uniformed firefighters in a filled-to-capacity arena in Worcester yesterday, religious leaders and President Clinton paid homage to the six Worcester firefighters who died in a blaze Dec. 3.

Early yesterday morning, as a stream of thousands of uniformed firefighters marched silently into Worcester's Centrum arena, somber onlookers lined the surrounding streets.

The crowd was eerily silent as a stream of uniformed firefighters passed underneath an American flag suspended between the ladders of two fire trucks before entering the building for the memorial service.

Firefighters from across the nation processed into the arena, the silence broken only by the sharp beats of drums and bagpipe music.

Most Rev. Daniel P. Reilly, the Roman Catholic bishop of Worcester, began the service with a prayer.

"We cannot say enough about the valor of these six men," Reilly said. "Their goodness, their heroism, their sacrifice teaches us all."

When an abandoned warehouse in Worcester caught fire last Friday, two firefighters entered the building to search for homeless people reportedly still inside. After the two firefighters radioed for help, four others responded. All six men died.

A homeless couple has been charged with starting the fire, which authorities believe began when they knocked over a candle during an argument. The two have pled guilty to six counts of involuntary manslaughter.

After Reilly's opening prayer, Frank P. Raffa, president of the Worcester firefighters' union, delivered the eulogy.

"When they arrived on the scene, nothing mattered but rescuing the people we thought were in that warehouse," Raffa said. "My brothers, our brothers, entered the building without hesitation despite the extreme conditions and despite the overwhelming odds against them."

"When two of our brothers called Mayday, four more of our brother Worcester firefighters went into that inferno, again, without hesitation," he added.

After praising the firefighters for their bravery, Raffa said they would seek closure for the families by locating the men's remains as quickly as possible.

"We are driven by one desire to deliver our fallen brothers to their families," he said.

Worcester Fire Department Chief Dennis Budd spoke next, thanking those who had given support to the Worcester fire department over the past week.

"Last Friday night, I lost six loved ones," he said.

Worcester Mayor Raymond Mariano delivered his own emotionally charged speech, emphasizing the very personal nature of Worcester's tragedy. He criticized the national media for rushing to tell the story and missing the essence of the tragedy.

"The number six doesn't begin to tell the story. In Worcester, we not only know the firefighters, we know the families," he said.

"This tragedy is defined by the amazing courage of two brave firefighters," Mariano continued. "In Worcester, that kind of love and valor is what we have come to expect from our firefighters."

But he also said the firefighters should serve as role models for all.

"Your heroism helps define our community," Mariano told them. "You are the very best our community has to offer."

"We will never forget them, or their families, or their sacrifice," Mariano said as family members of the slain men wept.

Massachusetts Governor A. Paul Cellucci followed Mariano in praising Worcester's "fallen heroes."

"They were courageous...because they were willing to fight fear on the behalf of others," Cellucci said.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 spoke next of the firefighters as heroes with "unflinching hearts and unwavering spirits."

"Amazing Grace," played by the Worcester and Boston Fire Gaelic Brigades and the Worcester Ecumenical County Chorus and Ensemble, provided a solemn pause following the speeches.

Once the song concluded, Alfred K. Whitehead, general president of the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), spoke of the men's lasting legacy.

"Nothing can erase the grief and sorrow you feel over your loss, but I hope and pray you can take comfort in knowing that there was abundant meaning in their lives," Whitehead said.

President Clinton spoke in a gesture of national support.

"I hope you can all sense that words have a poor power to alleviate the pain we feel now," Clinton said.

"We hope that by our collective presence we will speak louder than words," he said. "Your tragedy is ours."

"Too often, we take them for granted, our firefighters," Clinton said.

The families of the six firefighters were presented with the IAFF Martin E. Pierce Memorial Medal after Clinton's speech.

Each family was then presented with an American flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol building Dec. 3.

A final commendation prayer was said by Rev. David Lindsay, Protestant chaplain of the Worcester Fire Department, and the firefighter prayer was read by Lt. Donald Courtney, vice-president of the local IAFF chapter.

In the ceremony's haunting conclusion, the Massachusetts State Police played taps while members of the families wept and the young son of one of the slain, with his head turned downward, clutched a folded American flag.