In Memory

Ten years ago at 1030 pm on 14th July 2016, a terrorist attack took place on the Promenade des Anglais killing eighty-six people: young and old, men, women and children. The victims, who had gathered to watch the annual Bastille Day fireworks, came from nineteen different countries along with many local muslims. In addition to those killed, hundreds more were injured and many thousands who witnessed the attacked were traumatised by what they saw.

A Requiem Mass will be held at Holy Trinity at 6 pm on Tuesday 14th July 2026 to pray for the families of those who died and those who still bear the emotional scars of that night. Our churchwarden Jill Pirdas herself witnessed the horrific events of that night at first hand; she has composed the following poem: In Memory.

In Memory

 

Life:

as ephemeral,

and as transient

as dusk.

 

We will be -

who knows

in this world

of tugging tides

and sliding stars?

 

They looked to the future

knowing that they would be;

setting out joyously

to witness cataracts of gold

tumble from that night’s sky

as, unbeknown to them,

they were to be no more.

"As the tenth anniversary of that horrific night of the 14th of July 2016 approaches, I fell to thinking about how precious life is and how we expect to live our tomorrows - and yet, and yet eighty six lives were brutally ended on the Promenade des Anglais that evening. Eighty six lives whose tomorrows would never be. May we never take this precious and miraculous gift for granted and may we live each day with thanksgiving".

Jill Pirdas, July 2026