This Veterans Day ”“ Friday, Nov. 11, which as Armistice Day originally marked the end of World War I in 1918 ”“ Trinity Episcopal Church in Southport will hold a service recognizing the hidden price so many military personnel have paid over the years.
“Mental Trauma: The Forgotten Cost of War” will span the experiences of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines throughout the years,”¯from World War I shellshock to the present-day condition known as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
This special free ceremony will take place at 6 p.m.”¯and will include tolling bells, letters from the front read aloud, historic sound recordings and prayers for peace. The service is open to all denominations. No affiliation with the church is required. Refreshments will follow in the parish hall.
“War is often portrayed on an enormous scale: We see battlefield carnage filled with loud explosions and gunfire. Yet it”™s often the damage we can”™t see that can do the most lasting harm, the mental trauma endured by those on the frontlines that can go on for decades after the fighting,” Rev. Peggy Hodgkins, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, said in a statement.”¯“At this special Veterans Day service, we will learn more about the mental trauma endured by our military and reflect on how we can show compassion to those afflicted by it.”
The church is at 651 Pequot Ave. at the corner of Center St. (Exit 19 off I-95). For more, call 203-255-0454.
