Memory watch for Beslan terror act victims launched in North Ossetia

The three-day mourning events in North Ossetia have begun with a memorial service and laying flowers at the Beslan school, which was seized by terrorists 17 years ago.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that every year on September 1, a three-day memory watch is held in North-Ossetian schools to commemorate those who perished in the terror act on Beslan school No. 1 committed in 2004.

Today, from early morning, people come into the school yard in Beslan with flowers, candles and toys. Traditionally, at 9:15 a.m. Moscow time, the school bell rang – it was at this time on September 1, 2004, that first shots were made. Leonid, the Archbishop of Vladikavkaz and Alan, served the funeral litia (service).

In the video posted today on News Time YouTube channel, participants in the mourning ceremony lay flowers and light candles in front of the Orthodox cross set up in the centre of the gym of the destroyed school.

People also bring water bottles to school. "Bringing water to the school gym has long become a tradition, as then, terrorists announced a dry hunger strike for us. When people were running out of the school on September 3, many could only say: 'Water, water!' Now, water bottles are brought and placed where that nightmare had happened. It is a sign of life," the "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" has quoted today Larisa Kudzieva, who survived in the Beslan terror act.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 1, 2021 at 10:44 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.