Bury St Edmunds to mark Holocaust Memorial Day with service in Abbey Gardens
Holocaust Memorial Day is observed internationally on 27 January, marking the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Bury St Edmunds will mark Holocaust Memorial Day with a public service in the Abbey Gardens later this month, bringing together residents, students and civic leaders to remember victims of genocide.
The annual service will take place at 10.30am today ( Tuesday 27 January) in the Peace Garden, beside St Edmundsbury Cathedral. The cathedral will also remain open throughout the day for reflection and contemplation.
Holocaust Memorial Day is observed internationally on 27 January, marking the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp. The day commemorates the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust, as well as victims of more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
This year’s theme is Bridging Generations, highlighting the responsibility of younger generations to carry remembrance forward.
Reverend Canon Matthew Vernon, one of the clergy at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, said the service brings together people from across the community.
“Each year we gather in the Abbey Gardens" he said. “It’s a place of remembrance, and we come together with people of different ages, backgrounds and traditions who are committed to remembering and to preventing such atrocities from happening again.”
He said the service includes elements that remain consistent each year, alongside new contributions.
“There is a statement of commitment that we use each year, and we include words from Elie Wiesel, who was a Holocaust survivor,” he said. “We also hear from children at a local school, who speak about remembrance.”
Around 200 people attended the service last year, including school pupils, councillors and the local MP, who will again contribute to this year’s event.
"The way of the world shows us why it’s important to remember"
Reverend Canon Vernon said Holocaust Memorial Day remains deeply relevant.
“The way of the world shows us why it’s important to remember,” he said. “War, conflict and discrimination are ongoing issues. History shows us that we often struggle to learn from the past, which is why doing what we can to remember is vital.”
He added that while the Holocaust was unique in its scale and ideology, the lessons extend beyond one moment in history.
“Other genocides have happened since,” he said. “So it’s about lighting a candle in the darkness, keeping hope alive and committing ourselves to challenge prejudice and intolerance.”
As part of the national Light the Darkness campaign, the Cathedral Tower will be illuminated in purple on the evening of 27 January, alongside landmarks across the UK. Members of the public are also encouraged to take part by placing a candle safely in their window at 8pm.
Reverend Canon Vernon said the service is open to everyone.
“It’s an outdoor service and everyone is welcome,” he said. “People from different traditions come together, and we try to mark the day in an inclusive way.”