At the historic St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, spiritual leaders, humanitarians, musicians, and community members gathered for the “9/11 Tribute New York Interfaith World Peace Prayer.” Co-hosted by organizations including the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York, St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, Prayer for World Peace Association, Project Phoenix, Kobe Peace Research Institute, and Pearl News, the interfaith service honored the lives lost during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks while sending a message of global unity and mutual respect across religious and national boundaries.
A Sacred Venue Built on Inclusivity
Set in Manhattan’s second-oldest church building, St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery served as the backdrop for an afternoon centered on progressive interfaith dialogue and collective healing. Under the core theme “Across Faiths, Across Borders, One Prayer for Peace — Where Prayers Meet, Peace Begins,” the gathering linked historical memories of tragedy with a commitment to modern reconciliation.
Voices Across Traditions: Prayers and Live Reflections
The heart of the gathering rested on the spoken prayers, sacred text recitations, and personal reflections offered by leaders representing diverse traditions:
“May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God… We pray today so fervently for that peace, which we know is still possible, the peace that is still ahead, which is a peace beyond our understanding right now, but incredibly possible in the hearts of God.”
— Rev. Anne Marie Witchger, Rector of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery
“This is our journey to peace, and what I see here is that peace is unity. A teaching of Buddha that I love, which Reverend Martin Luther King also spoke, is: ‘In this world, hate has never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible.’ Because of horrible things that happened, we have met… We’ve experienced suffering, seen violence, and it has taught us to put our hearts and minds into promoting love and peace.”
— Ahjan Samvara, Buddhist Monk, Humanitarian, and Founder of Pearl News
“Peace to you… As an executive member of the New York State Interfaith Council and co-chair of the committee at the UN, I assure that Buddhist members will be present in our events to showcase unity and peace across all traditions.”
— Guruji H.H. Dileepkumar Thankappan, Global Chairman of the World Yoga Community
“Why are we here? Because we never forget… We believe we are under one God. In our faith tradition, we do the prayer every day… [Reciting Surah Al-Fatiha] ‘Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. Alhamdu lillaahi Rabbil ‘aalameen…’ We believe in peace, we are working together to establish peace, and we say: never again.”
— Imam Muhammad Shahidullah, President of the Interfaith Center of USA
Sacred Ceremonies and Musical Dedications
Central to the ceremony was the formal dedication of 6,000 origami cranes sent from around the world as symbols of hope and remembrance. Participants also engaged in a Paper Lantern Workshop for Peace, inspired by traditional Japanese floating lantern rites (Tōrō Nagashi) to symbolize light overcoming darkness and grief.
The program brought together deep cultural rituals and musical art:
- Opening Rituals & Tea Offering (Kucha): Rev. Dr. TK Nakagaki opened the ceremony with the “Three Refuges,” followed by Lulla Laya performing “以和為貴 (aouei)” and a formal Japanese tea offering conducted by Kishin Oku.
- Sacred Dance & Music: Master Hiroaki Omote presented a Kagura performance paired with jazz piano by Jeannine Otis. Musical dedications were performed by Tim Maurer (“Amazing Grace”), Russell Daisey (“Towers of Light”), and Michelle DellaFave with flutist/saxophonist Yuuki Koike.
- Closing Unison Walk: The gathering concluded with a collective performance of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine,” leading into a walking meditation to the church garden. The proceedings concluded with a Silent Peace Walk through the city and a lantern placement ceremony at Greenwood Cemetery’s Tranquility Garden.
