Hope Remains
The annual ringing of the Bell of Hope at St. Paul’s Chapel honors those lost on 9/11.
A cool breeze rustles the canopy of mature trees that stretch their branches over the small churchyard of St. Paul’s Chapel. People start trickling in through the two small gates on each side, congregating near the entrance of the chapel, but they do not enter. Instead, they face towards the World Trade Center, where at the same time the annual reading of the names of the 9/11 victims commences. The smaller crowd here pales in comparison to the large masses gathered around the 9/11 Memorial, which draws local and national political leaders in attendance, to mark the twentieth anniversary of the tragedy.
This more intimate moment is no less poignant or meaningful. Individually wrapped tissues are made available right next to the programs. “There’s a closeness here with the small community and the atmosphere that you can’t get at the 9/11 memorial across the street,” says Columbia graduate student Yan Yin.
All eyes are focused on the large metal bell standing in the center of the churchyard. The ringing of the Bell of Hope at St. Paul’s Chapel pays tribute to those who perished and especially those who sacrificed their lives for others on that fateful day. Gifted by the St. Mary-le-Bow church in London, the Bell of Hope has stood in the courtyard since 2002 and has been rung every year since the attacks.
At precisely 8:46 am, the exact moment when the first plane hit the north tower, the Reverend Phillip Jackson, the priest-in-charge at Trinity Church at St. Paul’s Chapel, rings the Fireman’s Farewell, a pattern of five strikes, repeated four times. All the noise of the city fades away as each ring reverberates around the silent crowd. In both silent contemplation and collective prayers spoken aloud, the crowd offers remembrance for those gone too soon and hope for a better future.
While nearly 20 years has passed since the terrorist strike, the memory of those who were lost still remains. “This last week re-watching things on TV, re-watching documentaries, re-watching film bring this back,” Rev. Jackson recalls. “The sacrifice of the women and men of our city made that day — it will never lose poignancy.”
All along the black metal fencing lining the perimeter of the churchyard and chapel, white ribbons marked with “Remembrance and Healing” are strung with handwritten messages of condolence, hope, and prayer. United Airlines employee Kathleen Beasley is among those who pour their hearts onto this small strip of fabric. “Being at United, I experienced so much loss at all different levels from my colleagues to friends I knew in New York,” says Beasley who happened to be in New York at the time of the attacks. “So, no matter how many years pass, there is a need to come back and remember the people. I will always want to remember them.”
Underlying the memorialization of 9/11 is the continued strength not only of the city but also of the people that survived. The spirit of this resilience is captured by St. Paul’s Chapel itself, known as “the little chapel that stood.” Despite being less than 100 feet from the World Trade Center, St. Paul’s remained intact. In the aftermath of the attacks, the church served the needs of the workers and volunteers at Ground Zero, offering food, shelter, and spiritual support.
Yet, more than just a physical building, the presence of all the people in attendance is the true testament to such resilience. Among the crowd were not only women and men in uniform, New Yorkers, and out-of-state visitors who endured the experience in one form or another, but those who were also too young to remember or were not yet born when the events transpired. The crowd itself is a representation that life does continue and that those lost will continue to be remembered and honored.
Both Yin from Canada and his fellow graduate student colleague Noemi Perivier from France recognize the significance of 9/11. “I think it’s important to be here in this moment to participate and be present,” says Perivier. “We’re not American but this impacted us too and living in New York now, we thought we should be here today.”
The ringing of the Bell of Hope is a constant reminder of those who perished but also of hope. Under the gentle swaying of the trees above, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the Right Reverend Andrew M.L. Dietsche alludes to this symbolism. “As we gather here today,” he says, “these trees have been here all along. They were there on September 11. They were witnesses to what happened that day.” The majestic trees may have provided the buffer to the onslaught of debris falling from the sky, but they serve as a reminder that life does indeed go on.
