Amid rainy and bleak weather, a crowd formed at the cenotaph in Sechelt Wednesday night to witness the consecration ceremony of flags and pay respect to the fallen.
The event, organized by the Sechelt Legion, was set up to consecrate (bless) the Legion's newly acquired North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and United Nations (UN) flags and to pay respects to Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
This history of consecrating flags goes back thousands of years when commanders led their armies into war under banners or flags. Later, the British military began the practice of having their flags blessed as they "fought for god and country," said Sechelt Legion president Dennis Johnson.
"Since our soldiers are fighting under the auspices of NATO in Afghanistan we want to consecrate that flag," Johnson said.
He said the consecrated flags will be used at legion events including Remembrance Day and Canada Day ceremonies.
The ceremony began with the Legion's colour party parading down Cowrie Street followed by a pipe band and 2963 The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada army cadet corps.
As per tradition, the pipe band's drummers laid their drums in front of the cross at the cenotaph and the colours (flags) were laid one-by-one upon the drums.
Along with the NATO and UN flags, legion members also laid down their branch flag, the maple leaf, B.C. provincial flag, the Red Ensign and the Union Jack.
Reverend Keith Peterson from Living Faith Lutheran Church in Davis Bay was on hand to read a blessing and pass the flags back to the colour party.
Following the consecration, two wreaths were laid at the cross, one by 96-year-old veteran Charlie Stephens and another by Bonnie and Greg Costall. The Costall's son Robert was killed in Afghanistan in March of 2006.
"We honour all of them for what they sacrificed for the country. We're proud of them all and it's been a huge sacrifice and if we can do this, we're glad to do this and pay our respects," Greg said.
Before the conclusion of the ceremony, cadets pinned photos of the 14 Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year to the cross and saluted.
Johnson said ceremonies like the consecration of flags are an important reminder of the sacrifices soldiers make and the benefits we enjoy.
Johnson said he was recently listening to the radio and heard an interview with a man who indignantly said he had no plans to vote in the provincial election. The interview highlighted for Johnson why he organized the ceremony.
"And in my mind I said, 'thank heavens we live in a free country and our country is free because our veterans," he said.
