c. 2003 Religion News Service
(UNDATED) From President Bush to Pope John Paul II, words of faith and regret combined to mark the tragedy of the space shuttle Columbia’s disintegration in Texas skies on Saturday (Feb. 1).
The two leaders joined many others in praying for the families of the victims and urging people around the world to do the same.
“The sad news of the tragic explosion of the U.S. space ship Columbia on its reentry into the atmosphere has provoked deep emotion in everyone,” the pope told a crowd gathered in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square on Sunday. “In this moment of hard trial, I am spiritually close to the families, whom I assure I will remember in prayer.”
Bush, a United Methodist, drew heavily on his faith as he addressed the nation from the White House Cabinet Room on Saturday. He cited the prophet Isaiah’s words about looking to “the heavens” and spoke of God’s awareness of each of the victims.
“The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today,” he said in brief remarks hours after the loss of the space vehicle. “The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.”
Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli to go into space, had sought the advice of a rabbi on how to observe the Sabbath during the flight. “He looked down at Jerusalem and saw beauty,” said the rabbi, Zvi Konikov, a member of the Hasidic Lubavitcher movement on Florida’s “Space Coast.” “From his vision, we need to rise higher than our differences, higher than the nitty-gritty of this world. With that, we can overcome.”
The United Jewish Communities, representing 156 local Jewish federations in North America, issued a statement expressing their “extreme and profound sadness” over the death of Ramon.
“His presence on Columbia was testament to the strong and unbreakable ties between our countrymen, and the dedication of the United States and Israel to humankind’s constant reach for knowledge, hope and peace,” the umbrella organization said.
“Once again, we are reminded just how fragile life is,” said Southern Baptist Convention President Jack Graham in a statement. He urged prayer for leaders of NASA, the military and Bush, who he said now has the dual tasks of commander-in-chief and “comforter-in-chief.”
Archbishop Demetrios, leader of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, called on priests, schoolchildren and others of his faith to remember in prayer the relatives of the diverse crew, which included men and women, an African-American, and astronauts originally from Israel and India.
“As people of faith, love and hope, I ask you to pray for the families who have lost loved ones and remember these crew members who were a magnificent mosaic of humanity and who heroically exemplified our ability to strive for achievement and progress for all the people of this planet,” he wrote in a Saturday statement.
The American Muslim Council added its offer of condolence: “In the hour of this national tragedy, AMC joins Americans of all persuasions to mourn the terrible loss of lives in the tragedy.”
(RNS Correspondents Peggy Polk and Holly Lebowitz Rossi contributed to this report.)
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