Candles flickered in the breeze, wax wept onto the grass, and the chimes of the campanile rang, while more than 1,500 students sat in silent prayer last night on Central Campus.

Campus religious organizations joined forces in support after Tuesday morning’s terrorist attacks on the twin World Trade Center towers in New York City and the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C.

“Our reaction to this is to pray to God with our questions and confusion and even yell at him if we must,” said Tim Boreseta, of The Rock Christian group. “The power of the Internet and phones were used and abused to get this many people here. It wasn’t hard, because we are responding to a genuine need that people have.”

Boreseta called Laura Bestler-Wilcox, assistant director of student activities, at about noon to ask if they could have a candle vigil, which was a coordinated effort among The Rock, the Salt Company and other religious organizations.

“That’s the wonderful thing about Iowans,” Bestler-Wilcox said. “They always come together. We’re lucky to be at Iowa State where students who want to come together, do.”

Many people, including President Gregory Geoffroy, faculty and students spoke while students with candle-lit faces prayed individually, in groups, in song and in various languages, trying to make sense of the events that unfolded yesterday.

“It’s hope in life,” said Lori Adams, assistant director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Campus Ministries. “It’s hope in death. It’s a hope in knowing that this is not our home.”

Karen Heath, senior in exercise sports science, was one of many students who gathered in the Memorial Union Tuesday morning to pray with friends.

“You think of all the people who die or were hurt or injured in this incident, and it’s bigger than the entire population of Ames,” Heath said. “I just can’t believe that these people were filled with such hate.”

Other students and faculty dealt with the shock of the events in their own way, some not believing what they saw at first.

“I went into the room across the hall and asked `what the hell is going on?'” said Malynda Mauer, freshman in political science. “I got tingles up and down my spine, and I still have tingles all over.”

Glued to the television to get the latest update on the day’s events, Joseph Diemer, adjunct instructor of naval science, sat in the Armory with some of his ROTC students.

“We’re obviously kind of awestruck,” Diemer said. “These are the things you really worry about. We’re not any different than anyone else, and we are not part of the operational forces. We have no clue who did it nor any speculation about anything else.”

Matt Denner, president of the ISU Campus Greens, said he is worried about a harsh response to the bombings by the government.

“I’m worried about the American response, and that we don’t act too rashly about the situation,” said Denner, freshman in liberal arts and sciences. “I am against death and think we shouldn’t retaliate.”

Many are worried about the implications this will have on future generations. The bombings have been compared to the Pearl Harbor bombing that propelled the United States into World War II and the Kennedy assassination.

“My son is only two, and I’ll tell him about it someday, but he’ll have no memory of it himself,” said Maureen Deisinger, journalism and mass communications adviser.

“It’s like the generation above me with Pearl Harbor and my generation with the Kennedy assassination. I’ve gotten chills all day.”

Iowa State Daily reporter Darryl Frierson contributed to this report.