Watch 9/11 Ceremony: Still Heartbroken After 16 Years, NYC Remembers

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — The 16 years that have passed since 9/11 have done little to heal the pain. A new World Trade Center stands on the site of Ground Zero, which for months remained a smoking crater torn into the heart of the city. Downtown is even more vibrant than it was before the terrorists attacked. But for the mourners who gather every year, the memory of the nearly 3,000 killed becomes no less poignant.

Watch: 9/11 Victims Honored In NYC

The family members and friends of the people killed return Monday, joined by politicians and community members to pause to remember the victims of that day. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-mast to mark the anniversary. (For more information about this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Patch has gathered some of ceremonies marking Mondays anniversary.

• Every year, the loved ones of victims gather at the outdoor 9/11 Memorial. The commemoration ceremony begins at 8:40 a.m. on the anniversary of the attack. The ceremony typically attracts hundreds of mourners as well as local politicians and community leaders. Both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are expected to attend.
• Perhaps the most visible tribute to the victims and first responders of 9/11 is the "Tribute in Light," the massive beams that shine upward from where the Twin Towers once stood. The beams are visible from dusk until midnight every year on 9/11 and can be seen from 60 miles away. The beams are assembled on the roof of the Battery Parking Garage just south of the 9/11 Memorial with 88 7,000-watt light bulbs.
• The 9/11 Memorial Plaza will be open until midnight on Monday for mourners to mark the day and view the beams.
• Many houses of worship will be holding commemorative 9/11 ceremonies. St. Joseph's Chapel, located in Battery Park, will hold its annual 9/11 memorial mass at noon on Monday. The chapel, which famously became a refuge for first responders and cleanup crews in the weeks after the attacks, is currently facing a stark rent increase that's threatening its survival.

Watch today's memorial ceremony here:

Image credit: Spencer Platt / Staff / Getty Images News