Sea of Lights at Vienna's Stephansplatz After Rampage in Graz

In memory of the Graz rampage, a sea of lights at Vienna's Stephansplatz and a service in St. Stephen's Cathedral took place on Wednesday. Already a day later, on Thursday, a memorial service in St. Stephen's Cathedral will once again commemorate the victims of the act, with a memorial service at 6 PM where political leaders will also be present.

Memorial Service After Graz Rampage

The Austrian Bishops' Conference, in coordination with the federal government, invites to the service on Thursday. Salzburg's Archbishop Franz Lackner, the chairman of the Bishops' Conference, will preside over the interdenominational service. Among those expected to attend are Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP), members of the federal government, and other representatives of politics, as well as ecumenism and other religions.

The service marking the end of the three-day national mourning will be broadcast live by ORF 2 from 5:30 PM. Initially, a "ZIB Spezial" is on the program, and at 6 PM the "Memorial Service for the Victims of Graz" begins. Austria's official national mourning will then end at 7 PM with the ringing of the Pummerin.

Several hundred people followed the call of Caritas and the Young Church of the Archdiocese on Wednesday afternoon. "We want to send a strong signal that is directed towards Graz," said Caritas Vienna head Klaus Schwertner to the APA. "Something like a hug for the families and friends of the victims."

Many people have been in a state of "helplessness" since the rampage and are overwhelmed by the situation, he said. "Our task now is to once again come together in Austria, to approach each other and be there for one another. And that is exactly what we want to show today."

Candles Beside Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral

On Wednesday afternoon, there was a coming and going at Stephansplatz, according to the organizers, several hundred people lit white candles and placed them beside the entrance of St. Stephen's Cathedral. In total, Caritas Vienna provided 3,000 candles, a spokeswoman told the APA. Among the participants were also Caritas Europe President Michael Landau and Green politicians Werner Kogler and Alma Zadić.

A 24-year-old woman from Vienna, who lit a candle, told the APA that the incident in Graz "affected her deeply." The young woman did not always feel completely comfortable at school herself, but she generally remembers her school days positively. Unlike many others who paused briefly and then moved on, the 24-year-old stayed longer at the sea of lights and attended the service at St. Stephen's Cathedral.

In the cathedral, musicians led the commemoration. Participants had the opportunity to speak with pastoral counselors and light candles. Additionally, stations were set up where people could leave messages or wishes.

Josef Grünwidl, Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Vienna, expressed his delight that the Catholic Youth invited people to a prayer and memorial service, "where there is also room for grief and despair," he told the APA. On Thursday, after the end of the national mourning, there will be another service to commemorate the victims of Graz and to "celebrate the perspective of hope, so that death and evil, hatred and brutality do not have the last word."

Van der Bellen after the rampage in Graz

After the rampage at a school, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen signed the condolence book set up by the city at the Graz Town Hall on Wednesday and participated in an emotional memorial event at the main square. Students affected by the rampage and the brother of a slain young woman spoke through tears in front of thousands about their feelings and experiences: "I will not allow this day to tear us apart. Our answer is love."

Before the memorial event, which was organized by the Muslim Youth of Austria, Styrian State Association, along with numerous other youth organizations and the Styrian State Youth Council, Van der Bellen held talks with Governor Mario Kunasek (FPÖ) at the Graz Castle and with Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ) at the Town Hall. According to Van der Bellen, these were "on the one hand marked by the shock and horror we experienced yesterday. But on the other hand, the police operation was appreciated. It was quick, it could have been worse, as terrible as it is to say."

Van der Bellen also stated: "Questions arise for the future - one concerns the 21-year-old. He had weapons ready for use. Is the legal situation really such that it meets modern requirements? This will need to be examined. And the second question, which may be even more important, is: How can the safety of schools and kindergartens be improved, because there can never be one hundred percent security."

"The shock over the dead children and young people is, of course, very, very deep. This has never happened in this extent in Austria before. I understand that Graz, the whole of Styria, and Austria are mourning. We have received many sympathetic messages from abroad in Europe. Everyone takes what happened here very seriously. And we will have to think about how we can do a little more to give teachers and students a sense of greater security," said the Federal President in a media statement at the main square.

"We will stand together"

He continued: "Graz is unfortunately in focus. It is a beautiful city that we like very much, but unfortunately it happened here. We will stand together." When asked what he could say to the parents of the killed children, he said: "When I imagine that one of my sons went to school and didn't come home at noon. That is simply terrible."

Van der Bellen was also asked about the current gun laws and his opinion: "Politicians will certainly look into how it is possible for a 21-year-old to possess both short and long guns, and have the opportunity to buy the appropriate ammunition and cause this disaster. I have also read in the media that Austria supposedly has liberal gun laws. The question is: How can we reduce the likelihood of such murders."

Subsequently, the hastily organized memorial event took place, which was also initiated with speeches by Van der Bellen and Kahr. Kahr emphasized, as she did on Tuesday, that people should now be there for each other and embrace to show "that you are not alone." It is important to "stand together and hold together - for peace, solidarity, and respect. Let's stand together."

After Kahr, the brother of a deceased student, himself still a teenager, addressed the thousands of people at the main square in Graz. Through tears, he gave insights into his emotional world and spoke to his dead sister: "We miss you. We love you." Counselors then accompanied him away from the crowd through the entrance to the town hall to offer him comfort there. Mayor Kahr left the memorial event for a few moments and followed the teenager. Away from all cameras, she took his face in her hands, spoke to him, and embraced him warmly.

"Panic, Fear and Uncertainty, but also Unity"

Meanwhile, a student who witnessed the rampage spoke to the participants of the memorial event. She vividly described how the young people "ran for their lives," jumped over fences, and finally reached safety in the Helmut List Hall. She described her feelings with the words: "Panic, fear and uncertainty, but also unity." She continued: "Parents stood outside and hoped that their children were alive. Some hoped in vain." She carries the fates with her from now on, "but I will not allow this day to tear us apart. Our answer is love."

(APA/Red)

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