Elementary and secondary schools throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago will hold special liturgies and prayer services with participation from local police, fire, emergency and military personnel to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Following are examples of events taking place:

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Our Lady of the Snows Church, 4858 S. Leamington Ave., Chicago

Students and parishioners of Our Lady of the Snows will hold a candlelight prayer service in honor of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks at the church at 7 p.m.

Noreen Feeney, a member of the Public Affairs Unit of the United States Army who recently returned from Iraq, will join the parishioners for the prayer service and lead a flag raising ceremony.

Thursday, September 11, 2003

St. Ethelreda, 8734 S. Paulina St., Chicago

Students will participate in a liturgy in the church at 9 a.m. to honor all military, fire, police and emergency personnel. Students will light 11 candles in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Following the liturgy, students will walk from 88th Street and Ashland Avenue to 87th Street and Wood Street and return to the school for a special flag raising ceremony.

U.S. Army Spc. Delmika T. Crenshaw, who recently returned from Afghanistan and is a parent of a third grade student at St. Ethelreda, will present the school with an American flag that was flown in combat in Afghanistan.

Red, white and blue balloons will be released into the air after the flag raising ceremony.

St. Ailbe School, 9037 S. Harper Ave., and St. Felicitas School, 1501 E. 83rd Pl., Chicago

Students from St. Ailbe and St. Felicitas Schools will gather at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of 87th Street and Stony Island Ave. to join hands to form a human prayer chain in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. St. Felicitas students will walk south from their school on Stony Island Ave. to 87th Street and meet St. Ailbe students who will walk north from their school to 87th Street. Students will display colorful banners, flags and signs, will pray together and sing “God Bless America.”