Grieving families gather for ceremony

A candle-lighting ceremony honoring children who have died took place in Modesto Sunday evening.

The ceremony, which included poetry and music, was sponsored by the Modesto-Riverbank Area Chapter of Compassionate Friends.

Families and friends were invited to attend the program in memory of children, grandchildren and siblings who have died at any age, from any cause.

The local ceremony was part of a nationwide effort, with candles lit at 7 p.m. in each time zone.

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Grieving families gather for ceremony."