St. Augustine School held two Remembrance Day assemblies with their staff and students Nov. 10.
The Grade 11 Social 20-1 led the ceremony for Grades 5 to 12.
“Today we remember those killed in action, those wounded, and the thousands who returned scarred,” read the students, explaining why we remember.
“Yet for many of us, war is a phenomenon seen through the lens of a television camera about fighting in distant parts of the world. For those of us born during peacetime, all wars seem far removed from our daily lives.”
The students presented four symbols of Remembrance and their meaning: the flag, the poppy, the wreath and the candle lighting.
“At times we can be without words, but in those times we have symbols to speak for us. Symbols are a powerful force in our culture.
“In a single image we are able to connect with an immense amount of emotion and history. Remembrance Day would not be possible without these symbols. How can we possibly express the sacrifice of human life?”
The flag is respected because it represents the beliefs and the history of the country.
The poppy is the memorial symbol of the fallen, originating as a symbol of remembrance after WWI, and popularized by Lt. Col. John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields.
A wreath, typically made with flowers, can represent the beauty and brevity of life. Remembrance Day wreaths, made with poppies, take on a deeper significance.
In lighting candles, prayers of the faithful become smaller symbols of the one light of Christ, the students presented.
