Dear Members of the Harvard Community,
Tomorrow marks the anniversary of last year’s Boston Marathon tragedy.
The occasion offers us a moment to remember and reflect on the lives so terribly lost and the incalculable pain suffered by the victims and their loved ones. It is a moment to recognize and marvel at the survivors’ extraordinary resilience in the days and months since their lives forever changed. And it is a moment to salute the heroism and altruism displayed by so many people, including members of our own community, in responding to the tragedy.
We are blessed and moved by the example of those who have shown us how to meet the worst of human nature with the best.
At 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the Memorial Church will open its sanctuary to all members of the community who wish to commemorate the occasion by joining in silent reflection. At 2:49 p.m., to mark the moment when the bombs exploded, the bells of the Church will ring. The remembrance walls created last spring will be displayed outside the Church and will remain in place until the Marathon next Monday.
Wherever you may be tomorrow afternoon, I hope you will join in honoring the victims of the Marathon bombing and in recognizing the valor and humanity summoned by so many in its wake.
Sincerely,
Drew Faust