MERIDEN, Conn. — The city of Meriden held a solemn ceremony Thursday morning to honor the lives lost and the first responders during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The event began with a recounting of the events of that morning, followed by the raising of an American flag that flew on the day of the attacks. The flag, which has only flown on Sept. 11 each year since, was hoisted to half-staff.

"We pause on 9/11 to remember what that feeling was like as a nation to come together where the American flag was not a symbol of a party or a person," Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati said. "But our home, that we were proud of, the greatest nation on this earth."

A bell tolled during the remembrance ceremony as attendees reflected in silence.

Retired Meriden Fire Lt. Danny Torres, who tr

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