Bayonne to Host Annual 9/11 Interfaith Memorial Service and Candlelight Vigil
BAYONNE, August 31, 2023 – The September 11 City of Bayonne Remembers Committee has announced its annual Interfaith Memorial Service and Candlelight Vigil in honor of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The event is scheduled for Monday, September 11, at 7:00 p.m. at the 9-11 Memorial in Harbor View Memorial Park, located at the former Military Ocean Terminal (MOT).
The service will also pay tribute to the victims of the World Trade Center attack on February 26, 1993. The memorial, situated at the eastern end of the former MOT, offers a panoramic view of Upper New York Bay.
Rev. Joseph Barbone, the former Pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, will lead the ceremony. The event will feature members of the Bayonne Interfaith Clergy, who will present prayers, readings, and reflections. Attendees can expect performances from the Bayonne Interfaith Inspirational Choir, local youth musicians and soloists, and a bagpiper. The ceremony will conclude with the playing of Taps. Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis is also set to deliver remarks.
To facilitate attendees, the Bayonne Recreation Division will provide a free shuttle bus service. The shuttle will operate from East 24th Street and Church Lane, starting at 5:30 p.m., with the last drop-off at the former MOT at 6:45 p.m. Post-event, the shuttle service will resume at 8:00 p.m., ensuring all attendees are returned by approximately 9:00 p.m.
For those driving to the event, parking is available at designated spaces at the former MOT and adjacent to Harbor View Park.
The 9-11 memorial, titled “To the Struggle Against World Terrorism,” was crafted by artist-sculptor Zurab Tsereteli from Russia. Donated by the Russian Federation to the U.S., the monument stands opposite the World Trade Center and was dedicated in 2006. It lists the names of all the 2001 terrorist attack victims.
In a bid to honor Bayonne residents who lost their lives in the attacks, the committee, in subsequent years, dedicated individual monuments for each victim. This includes one victim from the 1993 World Trade Center attack, two from United Airlines Flight 93 in 2001, and ten from the World Trade Center in 2001. The Twin Towers Steel Monument was unveiled in 2011.
The memorial service is set to proceed regardless of weather conditions. For further inquiries, interested parties can reach out to Dolores Kelly at 201-823-4890.
