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On Sept. 11, 2021, our nation will mark the passage of 20 years since the most harrowing day in modern American history. The terrorist attacks shook our country to its core, undermining feelings of invulnerability and making Americans question their safety and security.
Two decades later, people continue to grapple with how to process the tragedies that took place when terrorists hijacked airplanes that brought down the twin towers, crashed into the Pentagon, went down near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and killed 2,977 people.
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One focus of the commemoration of this tragedy is a rite of remembrance: the reading of the names of those who died on 9/11. This has been an annual ritual since the first memorial ceremony, held in 2002. Family members speak the names of their loved ones at the World Trade Center Memorial Plaza, punctuated by six moments of silence that correspond to all three attacks.
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The ceremony, which takes over three hours, is attended by thousands of visitors and is televised. The tone of the gathering is somber and participants bring placards, photos or personal items to the commemoration. Many of the readers are tearful, their voices cracking as they pronounce their loved one's name. Some offer poignant tributes or messages to the deceased.
But this event is more than just habit or tradition. Research indicates that rituals like this ceremony can promote healing and facilitate the grieving process. When people come together to express their grief publicly, it validates their individual pain while providing support to the group as a whole. In this way, rituals connect people to something greater than themselves. They also provide order and stability in times of chaos. This is true for all Americans impacted by 9/11, but especially those who lost loved ones on that day.
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