Candlelight vigil

Candlelight vigil

A candlelight vigil is an outdoor assembly of people carrying candles, held after sunset. Such events are typically held either to protest at the suffering of some marginalized group of people, or in memory of lives lost to some disease, disaster, massacre or other tragedy. In the latter case, the event is often called a candlelight memorial. A large candlelight vigil will usually have invited speakers with a public address system and may be covered by local or national media.

The vigils may also have a religious or spiritual purpose. At Christmas Eve many churches will hold a candlelight vigil.

Each year Elvis Presley fans line up in the for a late-night procession past his grave at his home Graceland. Presley died at Graceland on Aug. 16, 1977, and the procession, called the "Candlelight Vigil," is the highlight of a weeklong series of fan-club meetings & memorials.

References

* [http://www.amsa.org/legislativecenter/vigilguide.cfm American Medical Students Association, "Planning Candle Light Vigils"]


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