Santa Barbara Church Bells Ring 11 Times For Those Lost In The 1925 Earthquake

The 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake Centennial Interfaith Prayer Service joined together local Santa Barbara residents and a group of church leaders, City of Santa Barbara and State officials, as well as historian Neal Graffy and City of Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin who all participated in the 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake Centennial Interfaith Prayer Service on the steps of the Old Santa Barbara Mission held in remembrance of the eleven people who perished during the June 29, 1925 earthquake.

The Standing Together in Times of Crisis at The Old Santa Barbara Mission program brought together members of the EQ25 Alliance Members Steering Committee including Steve Hausz, Chairman, Denis Doordan, Program Chair, Bonnie Carroll, Betsy Green, Joe deLise, John Margolis, Jonathan Smith, Keith Butler, Mary Lou Days, Neal Graffy, Pat Saley, Roman Baratiak, Rick Closson, and an army of committee volunteers.

Neal Graffy, Fr. Joe Schwab OFM, President, Old Mission Santa Barbara, and Fr. Dan Lackie OFM, Pastor, St. Barbara Parish at Old Mission Santa Barbara welcomed guests and made introductions to area interfaith church leaders. Touching reflections and remembrances were shared by Ernestine Ygnacio-De Soto, Barbareno Chumash Elder, Rabbi Daniel Brenner, Associate Rabbi, Congregation B’nai B’rith, Thepo Tulku, Santa Barbara Summit for Tibet, Reverend Elizabeth A. Molitors, Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Robb Fuesler, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Wendy Sims Moten, representing Pastor Elbert Sherrod, African American Methodist Church, Frank Leon, Unity Church, Pravrajika Vrajaprana from the Vedanta Temple in Santa Barbara.

Steve Hausz, Santa Barbara Conservancy assisted in unveiling the dedication plaque and Neal Graffy shared historic background and read the names, with information on the eleven people who perished in the 1925 quake. Kristen Sneddon, Santa Barbara City Council Member presented a proclamation on behalf of Mayor Randy Rowse, City of Santa Barbara, and Gunnar Langenhuizen, Field Representative for State Assembly Member Gregg Hart presented a proclamation on behalf of the State of California. 2025 Poet Laureate George Yatchisin read a beautiful poem “June Ruins Rise,” and John Vale sang You’ll Never Walk Alone.