Community gathers at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery for a 'Vigil of Lament and Hope'

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Last night, faith leaders and community members gathered at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery on 10th Street and Second Avenue for a Vigil of Lament and Hope, honoring the life of Renee Nicole Good and mourning lives lost or harmed through immigration enforcement. 

The vigil included prayers, spoken reflections, music, and moments of silence, bringing together clergy and neighbors from multiple faith communities across the city. 

A memorial wall was displayed on the gate outside the church, filled with photos, prayers, flowers and candles in tribute to Good and others who have died in ICE custody or as a result of immigration enforcement.

Organizers described the gathering as a communal act of witness, emphasizing the importance of truth-telling, human dignity and shared grief at a time when such deaths are often met with silence or distortion.

Participating faith leaders represented St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, Middle Collegiate Church, Judson Memorial Church, and Trinity Lutheran Church on the Lower East Side, as well as community organizations including the New York Immigration Coalition and the Lower East Side Care Coalition.