More than 100 mourners gathered outside of the Aquinas Newman Center at UNM on Thursday night to honor fallen U.S. and Iraqi soldiers.
A candlelight vigil was held at the center's courtyard in commemoration of the 1,006 U.S. soldiers and more than 17,000 Iraqi soldiers who have died in Iraq.
The vigil was organized at the last minute and was one of about 1,000 held nationwide Thursday.
"The purpose of tonight is to remember with sorrow and prayer all those who have died," said Donna Bruzzesse, member of the peace and justice committee at the Newman center. "This is a response of faith communities all over the United States."
The vigil was a religious ceremony of prayer and song, but there was a message organizers wanted to get across.
"The press is not talking about the tragedy of all the lives lost," Bruzzese said. "And I feel the political parties are not honoring, in a significant and prayerful way, the losses of human life and human potential."
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Many people who attended the ceremony learned about it through the moveon.org Web site that urged people to organize vigils nationwide.
Scott Carroll is completing his fellowship at UNM and said he went to the event because the war in Iraq is unjustified.
"In a very real sense, these deaths are murder," he said. "Bush lied to get us into this war, and all these people died for an illegal cause."
Carroll, who is an Air Force veteran, said he understands a soldier's commitment to their country.
Reetu Robinson, a UNM nursing student, cried during the moment of silence.
"Many innocent people died," she said. "I am from Nepal originally, and recently there were 12 Nepalese people killed - very poor people. When I think of that, I get emotional."
Robinson said people coming together for an important cause could help unite the country.
"I don't know why human beings are creating pain and suffering for other humans," she said.
Bruzzese said she hopes the vigil helped spread the message of the peace.
"There are better ways to change the world," she said.
