Forty-nine tolls of the bell for every life lost: Thousands stand shoulder-to-shoulder with LGBT, Muslim and Latino leaders, as well as Pulse nightclub staff, in Orlando for emotional vigil
- June 13th, 2016
Thousands gathered in Orlando Monday night to mourn, remember and pay respects to the 49 people killed in the brutal attack on a gay nightclub in the city on Sunday morning, each one symbolized by a bell toll at the end of the event.
Coming together on the lawn outside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the crowds heard from Muslim, LGBT and Latino community leaders, and those affected by Sunday morning's attack.
And it was just one of numerous vigils held in cities across America.
Vigil: Thousands gathered to mourn, remember and heal at a vigil in Orlando Monday night for those slain in a shooting at city gay club Pulse at the weekend. Omar Mateen opened fire in the nightclub early Sunday morning, killing 49 and injuring 53
Masses: There were people from all walks of Orlando life at the event, gathering to mourn, remember and hope for a better future
Unity: Many of those in attendance were from the city's LGBT community. Speakers talked of the need to unite across all boundaries, and not to submit to 'homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia.' Shooter Mateen was a radical Islamist
Goodbye: For many it was a chance to say goodbye to friends, family and acquaintances killed in what was the biggest mass shooting in U.S. history
Sorrow: Many hugged those close to them as they remembered the fallen. The vigil took place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando
Tears: The loss was too much for many to bear, and even those on stage were audibly moved on occasion
Tearful: Many were moved to tears during the event, seeking comfort in friends and family
Emotions: Members of the crowd clasped hands and gripped shoulders as emotions flowed through them
Memories: Many carried pictures or signs symbolizing loved ones slain in the shooting, while others carried chains on which people had written messages of condolence, love and encouragement
Raw: For many, the vigil brought forth raw and powerful emotions
Loss: The loss was felt across the crowd during the event - but there was hope, too, from speakers such as Orlando Mayor Theresa Jacobs, who promised that they would not let Sunday's events tear their city apart
Lost: Many held up photographs of those friends, relatives and partners they had lost in the attack on Pulse
Lean on me: Members of the crowd supported one another through emotional moments during the vigil
Light: Speakers promised that the light of hope for a better future would never be extinguished
Prayers: Thousands gathered to offer prayers and hold candles for those lost in the brutal attack
Speaking at the event, which was broadcast live by ABC News, Orange County Mayor Theresa Jacobs said: 'I am so proud of you today - for being here for not being afraid.
'But I shouldn't be surprised because you have spent a lifetime waiting for this moment - this moment to show who you are, and who we are as a community.'
'This act will not define us,' she added. 'What will define us is how we respond.'
She emphasized the need for unity within the city across all boundaries, and promised a wave of healing that would defeat the hatred seen on Sunday, when Omar Mateen killed 49 - mostly Latinos - and injured many more.
'There is no amount of hate, not in one man's heart, not in a million men's hearts... that will turn back the tide,' she added
The crowd - dotted with signs saying 'Love Conquers All' - cheered with delight.
And Jacobs became audibly moved - appearing to fight back sobs - as she promised the LGBT community in Orlando would not be alone.
'We will stand beside you to fight for your right to be who you are,' she said.
'This is not your fight - this is our fight. This is America's fight.'
Love: Many signs saying 'Love Conquers Hate' were held up by the crowd, and the need for unity, love and respect was a common theme throughout all of the speakers' talks
Messages: Many left messages of strength and resilience in crayon and chalk
Posters: Others created posters calling for love to defeat hatred, and supporting both Pulse and individuals
Chained: Paper chains full of messages linked many of those at the vigil, as they held them up for photographs and carried them to makeshift shrines for the dead
Shrine: Small shrines were made with remembrances of those who were lost. In the background can be seen the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Remembrance: A makeshift memorial to the lost was set up and populated with remebrances, such as this one to Eric Rivera
Children: Ten-year-old twins Erica (left) and Olivia Hartley lit candles. They were just two of many children at the event
Spiritual: Many people prayed or focused their thoughts on the victims during moments of silence
Help: Some relied on their partners to get them through the event. In this shot (l-r) Kyra Murphy and wife Crystal Murphy, and Nicole Edwards and her wife Kellie Edwards, observe a moment of silence for the slain
Sorrow: Prayers led to tears for many of those who attended Orlando's vigil
Rainbow: The colors of the LGBT flag provided a colorful counterpoint to a frequently solemn period of reflection
Barbara Poma and Ron Legler, founders of Pulse club - the site of Sunday's shocking violence - also stepped up to the stage to promise that they would restore the club's promise to be a place of safety for the LGBT community.
Legler caught the crowd up in a chant of 'Peace! Love! Pulse!' and invited the audience to engage in a group hug with their neighbors.
And Pulse manager Neema Bahrami also stepped up to shout 'We will not be defeated,' and to lead the the crowd in a vibrant chant of 'We are here to stay!'
Hugs: Members of the audience were invited to hug one another at one point in the talks, to aid healing. Speakers included representatives of the LGBT, Muslim and Latino communities
Singing: As the event drew to a close, the Orlando Gay Choir (bottom) sang 'You'll Never Walk Alone', while those in attendance held candles up to the sky
Light: Candles helped to bring a small sense of hope to even the darkest moments in the vigil
Held: The crowd members held one another as the service continued
Sadness: Though the tone was one of sad reflection, there was a sense of bonding
Flags: Many waved rainbow flags, a symbol of LGBT pride, as guests spoke on the stage
Colorful support: Carlos Diaz, with his arm painted in the colors of a rainbow, raised his fist in solidarity during the event
Introspection: For many the vigils were a period of quiet and introspection
Introspection: For many the vigils were a period of quiet and introspection
Mourning: Crowds gathered earlier in the evening to lay flowers, pray, and pay respects ahead of the vigil
Moved: Many of those visiting - gay and straight - had been directly affected by the attack at Pulse
Solace: As people dispersed from the Orlando vigil, this man stopped to offer a prayer
Speakers from the local Muslim community took to the stage to denounce the actions of the shooter, who was a radical Islamist.
And Rasha Mubarak from the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Florida, said: 'It was just yesterday when Orlando, the beautiful city, was dismantled - but this, right here, is a unity message. It is a powerful message that we will not let fear and hate divide us.'
The need for unity was also demanded by a representative of the city's Latino LGBT community who stepped up to the podium to emphasize that the majority of the victims in the shooting were Latinos.
He remarked on the need to unite - to stamp out 'homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia'.
He followed his speech with a reading of the names of victims who died in the shooting, followed by a period of silence.
At the close of the event, the crowd stood solemnly as a bell tolled for each of the dead at the attack. Then candles were held into the creeping darkness as the Orlando Gay Choir sang 'You'll Never Walk Alone.'
Finally, The Beatles' 'Let it Be' played, and the event came to an end, as the crowd stood beneath the arts center, its front lit up in the colors of the LGBT rainbow flag.
Solidarity: New York's Stonewall Inn - the site of riots after homophobic action by the police in the 1960s - became a focal point for mourners in the city, who showered it in flowers throughout the day
Rise: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (pictured) called on the city to 'rise to the occasion' and stand up to any attacks on LGBT people. 'An attack on any of us is an attack on all of us,' he said
Mayor: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and wife Chirlane McCray (both pictured right) also attended the vigil, to lay flowers at the site
This was just one of many events held across the U.S. in solidarity with the victims of the Orlando shooting, their families, friends and communities.
In New York crowds came together outside the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. Almost 50 years ago, the gay bar was the focal point of riots across the city after a raid by homophobic police officers.
On Monday night those memories were brought back - joined by new horrors seen in Orlando, CBS New York reported. But the gathering also spoke of how far the city had come.
Standing outside the Inn, which had been showered with flowers in the day before, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke of the 'beautiful sight' of 'New York at its best, coming together to speak with one voice'.
'We believe in New York, that an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us,' he added, and invited all to gather on Sunday May 26.
'Let us heed the words of James Baldwin: "Love does not begin and end the way we think it does. Love is a battle. Love is a war." And it is a war we cannot lose,' he said.
'Let’s do, my friends, what New York does at its best. What we do at our best is we rise to the occasion, and we show the way forward.'
He also took the opportunity to demand 'sensible gun control,' saying: 'We went through it at Sandy Hook. How many people have to die before this federal government comes to its senses?'
Standing: Support came from NYC groups and individuals, who gathered for the Stonewall meeting
Standing: Support came from NYC groups and individuals, who gathered for the Stonewall meeting
Power of Love: The healing power of love was a common theme throughout many of the events, including in New York
Support: Crowds outside Philadelphia City Hall lit candles in their own vigil at the same time as the Orlando event. Akyra Murray, a high-school basketball star at Philadelphia’s West Catholic Prep, was the youngest victim of the Pulse shooting at just 18 years of age
Hugs and prayers: They may have been in Pennsylvania, but the Philadelphia crowds were with the Orlando memorial in spirit
Flags: Many of those in Philadelphia carried both a Pride flag and a national or local one - such as the Puerto Rico flag seen here
Thousands more gathered outside Philadelphia City Hall on Sunday night, including Mayor Jim Kenny.
The city had been touched in its own way when Akyra Murray, a high-school basketball star at Philadelphia’s West Catholic Prep, was announced as the youngest victim of the shooting, being only 18.
And Governor Tom Wolf ordered U.S. and Pennsylvania state flags at the Capitol complex, commonwealth facilities and other public buildings in the state to be lowered lowered to half-staff on Sunday in honor of the victims, NBC Philadelphia reported.
And in Washington, DC, a third vigil was held in two days - with one previous one having been held at The White House Sunday - this time held in Dupont Circle, by a Muslim-American women’s group, The Washington Post reported.
Organized by the Muslim-American Women's Policy Forum, the gathering's goal was to stand together against anti-gay, anti-transgender and anti-Muslim bias.
Chicago, too, had already held vigils, but held a third and fourth simultaneously on Sunday daytime in Boystown, the first officially recognized gay village in the United States, and Andersonville, Chicago Patch reported.
Hundreds gathered to pay their respects at the Boystown event. Those in attendance included Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson who reiterated his promise to increase police patrols in areas with many LGBT citizens. Another vigil was held at night at The Center on Halsted and Roscoe.
Sisters: Iris Vargas embraces her sister Joanna at a vigil in Sanford, Florida. The Monday vigil particularly focused on local man Luis S. Vielma, 22, whose death in Pulse on Sunday had been announced that day
Family: Brian Vielma (bottom left) and Jose Vielma (bottom right) remember their slain relative
Respect: Others paid their respect off the mainland, such as at this vigil in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico
Glow: Lit up by the warm glow of the candles, Puerto Rican citizens paid respect to the victims of the Orlando attack
Still more gathered in Atlanta, Fox News said, An intersection in Midtown had to be closed to accommodate the crowds, who carried rainbow flags and candles.
Others showed their respect off the mainland, too. In the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, people gathered to light candles and pray for those harmed in the Orlando shooting and the families.
Other vigils were taking place Monday night in cities across the U.S.
Los Angeles is set to hold a vigil and rally at Los Angeles City Hall from 7-9pm local time, with smaller vigils set at Mickey's West Hollywood, a gay nightclub, at 7pm, and an interfaith vigil at the Islamic center in Koreatown.
And in Canada, the cities of Toronto and Vancouver gathered supporters to hold their own vigils at the same time as the Orlando event.
Sister act: Sister Millie Terri, of the Washington, DC, LGBT activist group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, attended another gathering in Washington. This one was organized by the Muslim-American Women's Policy Forum
Hands on heart: Mourners offered prayers and hopes for their fallen brothers and sisters in Orlando at the Washington, DC vigil
Closeness: Those at the Washington gathering (top & Bottom) held one another as they considered the losses felt by the friends and family of the Orlando victims. There have been three Washington vigils, including one at the White House Sundayk
Wept: One Washington vigil-goer couldn't help but weep as the event unfolded
Candles: Vigil-holders lit candles at the Washington gathering Sunday night
And though it wasn't a traditional vigil, members of the American Muslim Community Center in Longwood, Florida, paid respect and offered prayers in a special event watched by non-Muslims.
Led by Imam Azhar Subedar and with a sermon by Christian Pastor Gus Davies, the event gave non-Muslim members of the local community the opportunity to learn more about their Muslim neighbors.
'It's only in America that we continue to successfully thrive as a unit despite our intellectual differences, our faith differences, our cultural differences or our lifestyle purpose,' Subedar said, according to theChristian Today.
'This is the sole reason why the world envies America. And we're not going to allow anyone to break that from us. We're not going to allow anyone to hijack that from us.'
'So at this moment the call of the moment is for us all to come together in solidarity and in unity to show what an American family is about.'
Ceremony: Imam Azhar Subedar (top) and Pastor Gus Davies (bottom) spoke at a ceremony in a Longwood, Florida mosque Monday where local Muslims prayed for those killed and hurt in the attacks
Thriving: Subedar said that America had helped Muslims 'thrive' and that the Muslim community would not let anyone 'hijack' that
Prayer: The event was set up to show non-Muslim members of the community (pictured on chairs, at back) how their neighbors pray - and to reiterate that the killer's actions did not represent everyone in the Islamic faith
Earlier in the day, before the vigil, family members of those present during the Pulse shooting who had come to Orlando from out of town gathered at the Beardall Senior Center.
There, police - who had established a family reunification center - were able to bring together some of the families who thought they'd lost one another in the attacks.
Some, but not all. With many of the victims not identified in the media pending family notification, it was down to those at the center to tell hopeful family members that their loved ones would not be coming home.
Hope: Family members hug outside the family reunification center in Orlando, Florida, Monday 
Tears: For some of those going to the center, there was only bad news
Rainbow: A rainbow falls on a flag flying at half-staff on the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. Flags across the state had been flown at half-staff in recognition of the loss of life in the Pulse attack
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