New York prays for the victims

NEW YORK, SEPT. 24. Representatives of New York's broad spectrum of faiths took the field of Yankee stadium yesterday to offer prayers for the victims of terrorism. The New York Mayor, Mr. Rudolph Giuliani pledged that ``our skyline will rise again.'' ``To those who say that our city will never be the same, I say you are right,'' Mr. Giuliani told those at the service. ``It will be better.'' Representatives from a range of religions were evident in the crowd. A group of about 20 men in orange, red, white, blue and pink turbans carried a sign declaring that Sikhs condemn terrorism.

There were prayers from clergy of many religions, interspersed with renditions of ``God bless America'' and other inspirational songs. Opera star Placido Domingo, accompanied by piano and harp, received a standing ovation for a stirring version of ``Ave Maria.'' ``When we were children we all wanted to be a fireman or a policeman,'' rabbi Joseph Potasnik, a fire chaplain, told the crowd. ``Today, as adults we can again answer we want to be like them. We know who we are. They showed us who we can be.'' Cardinal Edward Egan, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York, asked God to care for the World Trade Center dead and heal the injured.

Mr. Giuliani was careful to call it a prayer service rather than a memorial service, insisting that hope was not lost for some of the 6,333 people missing in the wreckage of the WTC. No survivors have been pulled from the ruins since the day after the September 11 disaster. Security was heavy at the ballpark in New York's Bronx borough and the crowd of thousands filled about half the stadium.

City officials had printed some 55,000 tickets, which were given out at limited locations. When it became apparent that so many seats were unfilled, the general public was invited in an hour before the service. Political leaders, including the former President, Mr. Bill Clinton and Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Charles Schumer, were on hand. The crowd chanted ``Rudy'' when Giuliani walked to the podium set up near second base.

The American Red Cross handed out tissue packets. Many people held up signs with photographs of the missing. Mourners arriving at the Yankee stadium had to run a gauntlet of police officers and State troopers checking tickets. No bags, backpacks or coolers were allowed. Police officers were stationed in the stadium's light stanchions.

Small American flags and roses were distributed. The stadium was bedecked with flowers and red-white-and-blue bunting. The flags that had stood at half-staff since September 11 were returned to the tops of their poles.

Meanwhile, the grim work of searching through the Trade Center wreckage continued without interruption in Lower Manhattan, and the business of trying to return to a semblance of normal went on throughout the city.

- AP

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