COVID-19 moment of silence: 'Pause, reflect, pray, mourn and honor all those we have lost'

Palm Coast Observer
News

The city of Palm Coast issued a proclamation to ask residents to participate in a moment of silence. The following is the full text of the proclamation:

DAY OF MOURNING AND LAMENT FOR ALL THOSE OUR CITY AND OUR NATION HAVE LOST TO COVID-19

WHEREAS, our nation has passed a grim point in our history: 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, with the rapid spread of the virus, the scope of its impact, and its mitigation through “social distancing,” we have not been given the time or space to mourn, lament, and remember those whose lives have been taken by the virus; and

WHEREAS, it has been impossible to bury our dead as people have for thousands of years — communally and intimately with friends, family, and neighbors; and

WHEREAS, as individuals, residents of our city, and collectively as a nation, we need time to stop, reflect, pray, mourn, and honor the dead; and

WHEREAS, to meet this need, religious communities across faiths are acting in unity, gathering together safely to mourn, memorialize, and remember the lives of those we have lost, both in our diverse faith traditions and in our public squares, and to pray for the healing of our nation; and

WHEREAS, mayors are joining with faith leaders in their cities and across the nation through the United States Conference of Mayors to declare June 1, 2020 a National Day of Mourning and Lament and, at 12:00 noon local time on that day, to pause, reflect, pray, mourn and honor all those we have lost and, looking forward, to focus on repairing the injustices the pandemic has so painfully revealed,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, by the Mayor of the City of Palm Coast,

June 1, 2020 is a National Day of Mourning and Lament in our City and urge faith and community leaders and all of our residents to join us on that day and, to the extent possible, at 12:00 Noon, to pause, reflect, pray, mourn and honor all those we have lost and to comfort all those they have left behind.

Signed May 31, by

Mayor Milissa Holland

City Clerk Virginia Smith