Remarks by President Biden at an Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace and Healing

St. Louis Cathedral
New Orleans, Louisiana

6:51 P.M. CST

THE PRESIDENT: Your Excellency, Archbishop Aymond; members of the clergy representing Christian, Jewish, Muslim faiths across the board, thank you for what you're doing.

Governor Landry, Representatives Carter and Fields, Mayor Cantrell, and all elected officials and members of the community.

Most of all, the families and loved ones of those we lost in this horrific act of terrorism last Wednesday.

I know events like this are hard when the shock and pain is still so very raw.

My wife, Jill, and I are here to stand with you, to grieve with you, to pray with you, and let you know you are not alone. The rest of the nation is looking at you as well.

It's not the same, but we know what it's like to lose a piece of our soul - the anger, the emptiness, the black hole that seems to be sucking you into your chest, the sense of loss, the questions of faith in your soul.

I know it's been five days staring at that empty chair in the kitchen, around the kitchen table, and not hearing the voice.

You think of the birthdays, the anniversaries, the holidays to come without them.

You think of everything - everyday things, the small things, the details you'll miss the most. The morning coffee you shared together. The bend of his smile. The perfect pitch of her laugh.

The rest of America has learned about them as well.

Students who dreamed of becoming engineers or nurses.Star athletes who worked on Wall Street or helped coach small children. Warehouse managers. Bluegrass fan. Cook, engaged to be married. A single mom just promoted at work and teaching her young son to read.

They came from different states, even different country.

They were children who had dinner with their parents besur- - before joining their friends on New Year's Eve.

Some even ran toward the chaos to try to help save others.

We remember them.

Today, we also stand with the 35 people who were injured in the attack, and we think of the brave responders and law enforcement officers - officials who risked their lives to stop the terror and save others, including two of those officers that I met tonight, injured in the firefight. Now, thankfully, both are recovering and are home.

I've directed my team to make every resource available to federal, state, and local law enforcement to complete this investigation quickly and do whatever else we can.

The French Quarter is also home to so many people. We will support everyone who lives there, all the people of New Orleans as they heal.

And if there's one thing we know, New Orleans defines strength and resilience. You define it. Whether it's in the form of this atta- - from this attack or hurricanes or superstorms, this city and its people get back up.

That's the spirit of America as well.

Let me close with this. To the families left behind, we know from some experience it's hard. But I promise you, the day will come when the memory of your loved one - you pass that park, open that closet door, smell that fragrance, just remember that laugh - when the memory of your loved one will bring a smile to your lips before a tear to your eye.

It will take time, but I promise you - I promise you, it will come. It will take time. My prayer is that that day comes sooner rather than later. But it will come. And when it does, you my - may you find purpose in your pain to live the life worthy of the one you lost.

From the hymn based on the 91st Psalm in my church, "May He raise you up on eagle's wings and bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun, and hold you - hold you in the palm of His hand."

God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. God bless you. (Applause.)

6:57 P.M. CST

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