Once again, empty chairs will fill the front lawn at Central Union Church as part of an all-day commemoration for those who have died of COVID-19 in Hawaii.
The public memorial will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, when many Christian churches will mark All Saints Day. One chair will be set out for each fatality, and at noon the church bell will toll for each person in Hawaii who has died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
In 2020 there were 228 empty chairs. This year there are expected to be close to 900. As of Friday the state Department of Health reported 896 COVID-19 deaths in Hawaii.
Monday’s remembrance is open to people from all faith traditions, including those with no tradition at all, according to the Rev. David Turner of Church of the Crossroads.
“All are invited to stop and take a moment to remember their loved one in whatever way is meaningful,” said Turner in a news release. “We are here to serve you and your loved ones.”
The Rev. Brandon Duran, acting senior minister of Central Union Church, said several churches and faith communities will participate this year as a way to emphasize the impact of COVID-19 on everyone.
“This is a shared experience and this is a shared weight,” he said. “This isn’t just for those families who are directly affected. I think by now we’ve learned of our real interconnectedness, and I think this is something we share together.”
Several pastors from a number of churches, including Kahu Ken Makuakane of Kawaiaha‘o Church, will take shifts to offer their services during the memorial.
“We talk about each chair is one life, but really it’s more,” Makuakane said. “It’s the loved ones of that life. It’s family members, it’s grandparents. Each chair represents so many connection points. While it does symbolize that one life, that one life, again, is so interconnected to so many other lives.”
At the memorial last year, bells tolled for 15 minutes and 12 seconds. This year, with quadruple the number of COVID-19 deaths, the bells are expected to toll for about 45 minutes.
“With all of the safety protocols we have to live with, many people have not had the chance to grieve with the support and companionship of the community,” said the Rev. Jeannie Thompson of Nuuanu Congregational Church. “We hope this memorial will be for people a public experience of community connection, unity and caring.”
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Commemoration
>> When: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday
>> Where: Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St.
>> What: A chair will be placed for each person lost to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. At noon the church bell will toll for each person in Hawaii who died from COVID-19. The public is welcome to bring a lei or flowers to adorn chairs to honor a loved one. Masks should be worn at all times.
