Special Mass honors victims of Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti paused on Sunday to remember the devastating Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake, which claimed over 300,000 lives and injured more than a million. Fifteen years later, the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and the government gathered for a special commemorative Mass at the Villa d’Accueil in Port-au-Prince to honor those who perished in the 7.3-magnitude disaster.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé acknowledged the continuing impact of the disaster, calling on Haitians to transform their collective pain into strength.

“We carry the weight of memories, but we also carry the light of hope,” Fils-Aimé wrote in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. “Our departed loved ones live in us, and it is through our actions that we will give them the most beautiful tribute.”

The ceremony featured white-clothed government officials, members of the CPT, and foreign diplomats. Attendees sang hymns, prayed, and placed wreaths to commemorate the victims. Reverend Father Jean-Robert Louis, who led the Mass, emphasized hope and eternal life for those lost in the tragedy.

“God did not create man to suffer and die. Our compatriots who perished in the earthquake will be granted eternal life,” Rev. Father Louis said in his homily.

In contrast to previous remembrance commemorations, where masses were held in churches and officials visited mass grave sites in Titanyan, an area north of downtown Port-au-Prince, this year’s service took place in a small space at the government’s guest house in Musseau, Port-au-Prince. The setting was arranged with a table covered by a white cloth adorned with floral wreaths. In front of it, approximately twenty chairs were set up for high-ranking government officials and accredited ambassadors. 

Reconstruction has stalled; questions about the diversion of funds persist

Despite Haiti receiving $13.5 billion for recovery through the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission (CIRH) from an array of organizations, countries and individual donors, no significant rebuilding has materialized to date. This has left most people puzzled.

Public buildings like the National Palace remain in despair, underscoring the ongoing challenges in Haiti’s recovery.

How the funds were squandered is no mystery. The funds were misused, according to experts. Haiti’s elected officials have long been associated with embezzlement, and their inability to work together has significantly hindered recovery. Additionally, the ongoing sociopolitical instability has not aided progress.

“Haiti’s path of recovery from the 2010 earthquake was interrupted by political instability and other disasters,” said Paul Weisenfeld, executive vice president of international development at RTI International, during an interview in 2022. “Natural disasters are always a tragedy layered on top of already existing tragedies, like extreme poverty.”

The commemorative mass served as a reminder that, 15 years later, the scars of the earthquake remain visible. Yet, it also highlighted the resilience of the Haitian people, who continue to endure and push forward, hoping for a future built on collective strength and action.

Following are some photos and videos of the special Mass in tribute to the victims of the 2010, earthquake, taken by Dieugo André for The Haitian Times:

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