Vienna Presbyterian Bells Toll To Honor Coronavirus Victims

VIENNA, VA — Across the nation, church bells tolled on Tuesday in honor of people who have died from the coronavirus. The United States surpassed 400,000 deaths on Tuesday since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Vienna Presbyterian Church joined other houses of worship around the nation in the bell ringing Tuesday night, according to the church's director of missions Sue Hamblen. Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert was on hand to provide remarks and ring the church bells first. Members and guests gathered to ring the bells — some for over 20 minutes — to remember and mourn family and friends lost to the pandemic.

The remembrance event concluded with a closing prayer, one that mission partners in South Africa sent to Vienna Presbyterian Church. This exact prayer has been spoken in many countries and languages, according to Hamblen.