New York mayor bans clergy from praying at 9/11 anniversary
Image via Wikipedia The mayor of New York City has disallowed clergy from praying at an event commemorating the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks , sparking indignation from leaders who have pointed to the pivotal role religious groups played in the heroic response to the tragedy. A spokeswoman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that, as in previous years, this weekend’s commemoration would include readings “spiritual and personal in nature,” according to an Associated Press report. Bloomberg’s office characterized the affair as focused on relatives of victims. Two steel girders, left standing in the form of a cross at Ground Zero, were hailed a sign of hope in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Christian leaders, however, are calling the ban an insult to the memory of how the faith provided solace and the faithful worked to save lives in the city’s darkest hour. “Nobody was turning religious leaders away from the scene 10 years ago. Why are they being banned