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Fire Chaplain, Archimandrite Gerasim (Power) of Smoky Lake, Alberta participates in Edmonton 9/11 Memorial Ceremonies

September 11, 2017

On Monday, September 11, many dozens of firefighters from the Edmonton Fire Department gathered at the Firefighter Memorial in Edmonton to remember that fateful day of 9/11, 2001 which saw thousands of lives lost in the brutal acts of terrorism in the USA, among them, 343 firefighters.

The Edmonton firefighters were joined by many from other departments including Smoky Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Archimandrite Gerasim is the Fire Chaplain for Smoky Lake and also himself a volunteer firefighter with the department.

Fr Gerasim said, "This has been one of the proudest and most humbling days of my life. I am so grateful to God to have had the great privilege of marching on parade in full dress uniform with all my brother and sister firefighters in Edmonton for our memorial and tribute to our fallen comrades in Edmonton and in memory of 9/11. I have never felt so honoured, and humbled to march shoulder to shoulder with these heroic people, to be one of them and a chaplain to many of them." 

Fr Gerasim, also rector of the Century Orthodox Parishes, attended with Smoky Lake Fire Depatment Deputy Chief, Chris Schwab and his wife Nicole, also a firefighter. They ask everyone's prayers for all firefighters and first responders, and for the souls of the fallen, that they may rest in God's peace and their memory be eternal.