SAN JUAN — Black and white photographs were placed facing the nave at the Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle.
The photographs were of men, women, children and the elderly. A diverse group, to be sure, but the one thing they all had in common was that they had died of AIDS.
The remembrance of these individuals was part of a larger commemoration of World AIDS Day, an international day that falls on Dec. 1 dedicated to bringing awareness to the AIDS pandemic which is caused by HIV.
Portraits of those remembered are carried as World AIDS Day is observed during a commemoration ceremony at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Dr. Ivan Melendez prays with others as World AIDS Day is observed at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Portraits of those remembered are held as World AIDS Day is observed during a commemoration ceremony at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Portraits of those remembered are carried as World AIDS Day is observed during a commemoration ceremony at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Portraits of those remembered are carried as World AIDS Day is observed during a commemoration ceremony at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Rev. Jorge A. Gomez speaks during a mass at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Organist Xavier Hernandez plays during a commemoration ceremony as World AIDS Day is observed at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Portraits of those remembered are placed at the steps of the alter as World AIDS Day is observed during a commemoration ceremony at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Portraits of those remembered are held as World AIDS Day is observed during a commemoration ceremony at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])Dr. Ivan Melendez gathers to others as World AIDS Day is observed at Basilica Of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in San Juan. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
