Hundred turned out for the Wilton’s downtown interfaith vigil. (Photo by Bryan Haeffele)
Hundreds of people filled the town green Sunday, Dec. 23, for an interfaith prayer vigil to honor the lives lost and families and community members whose lives were affected by the heinous shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.
Father Michael Palmer, Our Lady of Fatima pastor, initiated the vigil with a prayer, and was followed by Middlebrook music teacher Janet Nobles, who sang “In Paradisum” to the audience.
Speakers included the Rev. Suzanne Wagner, interim senior pastor of Wilton Congregational Church; the Rev. Jane Field of Wilton Presbyterian Church and Zion’s Hill United Methodist Church; Kareem Adeeb, founding president and imam of the American Institute for Islamic and Arabic Studies; and members of the Guglielmo family, who have many friends and family in Newtown.
Twenty-eight candles were lit by interim Pastor Earl Dunbar of United Covenant Church, Pastor David Gish of Hope Church, the Rev. Stephen Goldstein of Zion’s Hill United Methodist Church, and Erik Olsen, first reader of the Wilton Christian Science Church.
A final blessing was offered by Rabbi Molly Karp, education director of Temple B’nai Chaim, who offered a final moment of silence for the victims and families.
A special choir, assembled from the choirs of Wilton’s various faith institutions, closed the ceremony with Let There Be Peace on Earth, under the direction of Mary Bozzuti Higgins and accompanied by Al Galletly.
