VIDEO + REPORTING BY ZACK HUFFMAN
EDITING BY CHRIS FARAONE
Greater Boston’s annual interfaith Longest Night Memorial Service returned outdoors last week after about a decade of being held indoors.
The 31-year-old service is dedicated to homeless people who died during the past 12 months, and is always held on Dec. 21—the longest night of the year.
Typically, the service includes a reading of names from a list that often exceeds 100. Due to the pandemic, it was tougher for organizers to keep in contact with some people and partner agencies to build the list, according to Rev. Mary Eaton from Common Cathedral who helped lead the service this year. During the service, she called out the names Jane Doe and John Doe to represent those who died in the street without being properly identified.
The following names were offered by people who attended the service …
Jose Fierras
Junior Cato
George Brescia
Mike Humler
Iris Mainer
Michelle
Gelio
Elliott Jr.
Jenny
Beth
Uncle Harold
Stephanie
Jose
Walter
Jack
Ayelech
Father Marin
Jackie
Brian
Billy
Jose
Jackie
Donald
Samson
Kevin
John
Auntie Liz
Karen
Uncle Johnnie
Jasmine
Curtis
Maliki
Uncle Peter
Renee F.
Jesus
Jaqueline
Dan
Davey
Laura
Hailey
Vanessa
Star
Leigh
Eloise
Phyliss
Germain
Gloria
Beatrice
Nana
Tea
Dogsy
Willie
Zack is a veteran reporter. He writes for DigBoston and VICE, and formerly reported for the Boston Courant and Bulletin Newspapers.
