Hospitals to hold virtual ceremonies on Saturday
Colleagues from across the Saint Alphonsus Health System, encompassing hospitals and clinics in Southwestern Idaho and Eastern Oregon, will gather on Saturday evening to mark the first anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts on communities in both states.
Hospital chaplains will host virtual ceremonies, inviting colleagues to join via video links. Each ceremony will feature prayer, a moment of silence in honor of those who have lost their lives or loved ones to the virus, and the lighting of five lanterns. The lanterns represent Grief, Courage, Memories, Love and Hope.
Saint Alphonsus invites members of its Oregon and Idaho communities to light a candle or turn on a light at 6:00 pm (local time) on Saturday to join in remembrance and reflection.
The health system has produced a video featuring colleagues from across Saint Alphonsus offering their thoughts on their experiences and how they have been impacted by the pandemic. Titled “A Year Like No Other,” the video is available to view on YouTube https://youtu.be/qw_1LIQJobA and on Saint Alphonsus’ Facebook Page.
March 13, 2020 was when the first COVID patient was confirmed in Idaho, and March 14 is the anniversary of the first COVID fatality in Oregon.