Churches will be engaged in helping with healing for Crans-Montana residents for many years after the tragic events of   January1 and long after the media have left the picturesque Swiss town.

There on a New Year's Day fire in a nightclub claimed the lives of 40 young people and injured 116 others in a national tragedy that stunned the world.

That is the assessment of Rev. Guy Liagre, pastor at the Evangelical Reformed Church of Valais in Crans-Montana.

Liagre described how the local Protestant and Roman Catholic churches mobilised with prayer and support for all those impacted by the tragic events during New Year celebrations in the Swiss winter sports resort, with the ages of those who died ranging from 14 to 39.

Many of the injuries were serious.

French President Emmanuel Macron was among those present at a special afternoon ceremony in Martigny on Jan. 9 along with Italy's president, Sergio Mattarellam, Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Luxembourg's former grand duke Henri were among those in attendance along with the president of the Swiss Confederation, Guy Parmelin Swizerland.

Church bells rang throughout Swizerland and trains sounded their hooters as part of the commemoration activites on a day declared a day of natiional mourning in Switzerland..

On Jan. 1, Liagre sent a sombre message to parishioners: "Unfortunately, the first worship service of the year will take place in a different atmosphere than expected."

Liagre  elaborated on different church services organized around the tragedy, after the event, including one Liagre shared with Rev. Gilles Cavin, president of the Synod of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland.

Cavin spoke of the "terrible uncertainty" for families unsure if their loved ones are among the dead or still alive among the injured. "We pray for their friends hard hit by misery on this day that was meant to be one of festivities and friendship," he said.

Local media reported that Cavin, who has three daughters the same age as some of the victims, "went to support the Catholic teams" present.

         - MEETING WITH FAMILY MEMBERS

Liagre, former general secretary of the Conference of Reformed Churches, said in an interview with the WCC, "In the field, I met with people who lost their family members."

He explained that those badly injured in the fire went to hospitals in the surrounding area in Switzerland, such as Sion, Zurich, Lausanne, and Geneva, as well as to hospitals in Belgium, France, and Italy.

"We know that what happened is news, which is immediate for the media. But for us, it's just the start. And I think this dramatic event will be remembered every New Year for the first 50 years at least here in Crans-Montana," Liagre said, noting that it could impact tourism, a key livelihood for residents of the area.

"What we had to do is what we do as churches, and that means we have to go all the way with those people touched by these dramatic events. And that is not only the families of those affected, but also those who helped, including those who helped in the first line and first responders."

Bishop Jean-Marie Lovey, Roman Catholic Bishop of Sion, told Vatican News, "The mood is heavy and charged, full of emotions and questions...People question themselves a lot. Expectation, the need for clarification, and misunderstanding are evident. It is so terrible.

"We must give way to the police, the public prosecutor, the world of health, hospitals, and families. But the first initiative was that of Mass on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. (on 1 January). I went to this celebration in a full church. People need to come together, to meet again, to live together the emotion and, perhaps, the questioning and comfort that the presence of each other can bring."

The day after the tragedy, there was another Catholic mass in which the local Protestant Church participated.

There was a service organised by the pastors of the Reformed Evangelical Church of the canton of Vaud, in collaboration with the Catholic Church, for another ceremony that brought together a grieving region.

"Many of the victims are young people who live nearby," said Aline Marguerat, president of the Belmont-Lutry Parish Council of the Roman Catholic Church. "We had to at least offer that to the families. It was organised very quickly and with immense emotion."

On Tuesday, Jan. 6, the Protestant Church in Sierre held a candlelit vigil to commemorate and pay respect to the victims with the announcement saying, "We accompany the victims, their families and those dear to them."

On New Year's Day, just hours after the tragedy, the World Council of Churches, in two separate letters, conveyed its heartfelt condolences to churches across Switzerland and to Swiss authorities, highlighting prayer, compassion, and international solidarity in the face of the profound loss.

          -- WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURHES PASTORAL LETTER

In a pastoral letter addressed to the churches in Switzerland, WCC general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay said, "You are not alone. People around the world are praying for you, mourning with you, and standing in solidarity with you.

"May you find strength and comfort in one another, and may the memories of your loved ones become a source of light and peace in the difficult days ahead."

Testimonies and statements collected in recent days indeed mention many young people who have disappeared or been seriously injured in the Greater Lausanne area. Schools such as Chamblandes Gymnasium and the private Champittet College, which lost three pupils and four past students, were hit badly.

Catholic parishes and places of worship offered times of prayer and reflection. In the canton of Neuchâtel, one was held at the Church of the Sacred Heart in La Chaux-de-Fonds, where people could leave flowers and candles.

Another place for reflection was at the Catholic Church in Fleurier, where there was a special Mass, and another at Notre-Dame Basilica in Neuchâtel, as well as one in Peseux, dedicated to the victims, their families, and the medical staff.

The official memorial service was to take place on 9 January in Martigny, starting at 1:45 p.m., organised by the Swiss Confederation in collaboration with the Swiss Protestant and Roman Catholic churches.

The ceremony was broadcast live on the national broadcaster, RTS1, as part of a special programme.

Around 1,000 people attended the commemoration, including representatives from 32 countries and the European Union.

The ceremony – broadcast live – took place in Martigny and not in Crans-Montana due to bad weather conditions with three local students also speaking at an emotional ceremony.

In Crans Montana, however, numerous people gathered in the square, where the tribute was broadcast on a large screen.

And Geneva's international symbol, the Jet d'Eau, a huge water fountain, was illuminated in the colours of Valais on Jan. 9, during tthe day of national mourning decreed by the Swiss Confederation.