Community members gathered outside of Memorial Church on Tuesday evening to hold a candlelight vigil for victims of the Boston Marathon explosions. University President Drew G. Faust and other speakers at the vigil echoed each other in their acknowledgment of human goodness in light of the attack.
Students donning bright blue jackets that signified them as participants in this year’s marathon were among a crowd of hundreds of children, faculty, and community members.
Before the speakers began, Undergraduate Council members circulated through the crowd and distributed long white candles. Attendees leaned in towards each other to light their candles, shielding them from the strong wind that caused many candles to go out throughout the event.
UC President Tara Raghuveer ’14 spoke first, expressing the Harvard student body’s empathy for the Boston community.
“We are very tied to this community regardless of where home is for us,” she said.
Raghuveer introduced Faust, who delivered remarks that emphasized the importance of staying together as a community.
She quoted writer Toni Morrison, who said, “We tend to overlook goodness,” but that “we must put goodness front and center in our lives.”
Anqi Peng ’14, who ran in the marathon on Monday, echoed Faust’s advice to focus on the good. Peng spoke about witnessing numerous examples of human kindness after the attack, such as restaurant owners giving food and housing to runners.
“I’m not even going to try to make sense of what happened yesterday,” Peng said.
Peng repeated her admiration of the perseverance and strength of everyone there, which she acknowledged as her favorite part about running marathons.
After witnessing and reflecting on the community support following Monday’s attack, Peng said, “I’m going to smile at everyone walking down the street.”
Three Harvard chaplains of different denominations spoke, emphasizing that the event was interfaith and community members of all beliefs were welcome to Memorial Church. The chaplains called for everyone to come together, comparing individual attendees to individual candles, but who together made a “great illumination.” They followed their speeches with a moment of silence.
The Rev. Jonathan L. Walton, Pusey Minister in Memorial Church and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals, closed the vigil, emphasizing the importance of showing love.
Following Walton’s words, attendees gave each other hugs and wished each other well as they dispersed.
—Staff writer Steven R. Watros can be reached at watros@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @SteveWatros.
—Staff writer Matthew Q. Clarida can be reached at clarida@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @MattClarida.