Candle Ceremony Commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day at the Academy
A moving candle-lit ceremony was held at the Academy to observe Holocaust Memorial Day, honouring the memory of those who suffered under the Nazi regime. This year’s event has special significance as it marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp.
The ceremony provided a solemn reminder of the atrocities faced by more than six million Jews, along with countless others who fell victim to the horrors of the Holocaust.
In preparation for this important event, students participated by creating hundreds of candle posters. These vibrant displays, adorning the corridor windows, were created as part of the national ‘Light the Darkness’ event of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Standing as a powerful visual tribute to lives lost, they also call for a commitment to stand against prejudice and hatred today.
During the ceremony, led by History teacher Miss Booth, students delivered poetry readings. One poem featured the powerful words of Pastor Niemoller, a man who lived in Nazi Germany and bravely opposed the regime. The other was a contemporary poem that reflected the horrors of the concentration camps.
This was followed by the dedication and lighting of a memorial candle by Fr Mark Naylor, Assistant Curate at St Saviours, Ravensthorpe, with Thornhill Lees and Savile Town. Fr Mark then concluded the ceremony by leading prayers in which he invited everyone to pray for Holocaust victims and commit to creating a better future based on tolerance and respect for all.
