Hundreds gathered at St. Mark’s Cathedral on Sunday morning to observe Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day.
Armistice Day, which is observed on November 11 in the eleventh hour every year, marks the peace agreement signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany. Two-minute silence was observed as a sign of respect for the millions of people who died in the war and those who were affected by it.
The programme began with a short prayer by Rev. J.D. David Rajan. Later, serving and retired members of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, among others, lined up to lay wreaths at the cenotaph.
Speaking on the occasion, Rev. Rajan shared a message of peace with the gathering. “When people join the country’s defence forces, during a war, they should only fight for the sake of justice and truth. And, therefore, it is essential that people practice these principles in their lives,” he said.
Thamkam Rangala, a participant, said: “We get so consumed by our day-to-day activities that we forget to remember the people because of whom we are living our lives comfortably and peacefully. We need to stop and remember and express our gratitude to the warriors and remember their sacrifices.”
At the event, Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major (retd.) read out the popular war poem titled Flanders Fields. Maj. Gen. K.K. Venugopal was also present at the event.
A promise
The event ended with a prayer and a vow from the participants to maintain peace and harmony.
