Moreover, the Jewish faith also uses candles in the ceremony of Hanukkah to symbolize remembrance of God's effort on their behalf during times of crisis. This 9/11 ceremony was no different. Upon arriving, I noticed that almost everyone in the great, somber mass had candles in hand, staring into the flame of their candle and others, trying to keep the fire from going out. Traditionally, the fiery light from candles symbolizes life as a dynamic, licking flame that we hope never goes out. The candles at this particular ceremony embodied the lives of all those who were robbed from the world on 9/11. It seemed as though many people at the vigil stared into their candles, intensely believing that its light and warmth reflected the life spirit of their loved ones. The warm glow of the candles made it seem that all those who were lost were living again, if only for a short time. Fire in itself has an natural quality of inspiration, providing all those who view it a look at something captivating and dangerous. The candles seemed to have as natural a place at the vigil as the people in attendance. All this evidence proved to me that familiarity among ritual objects plays a role in making people comfortable. The candle, a recognized symbol of remembrance and life, was a common, recognizable bond between all the different individuals at the candlelight vigil.
Another habitual factor of rituals that was followed was the wearing of ribbons. Used to display support and/or involvement with a particular cause, ribbons and other colored markers have been in use for thousands of years. For example, tying a yellow ribbon around a tree in your yard represents your status as a person waiting for a loved one to come home from military services. Wearing a red ribbon on ones chest also lets the world know that he/she is in active support of finding a cure and/or helping those with HIV. This wearing of ribbons at the ceremony was the second case that I saw of a ritualistic bonding tool used at the vigil to promote togetherness through familiarity.
