LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Following Monday’s mass shooting at a downtown Louisville bank, people in Kentucky are leaning on faith to cope with the tragedy.

Christ Cathedral Church in downtown Louisville held a prayer vigil as a response to the gun violence.

When the new year began, this community church started an unusual tradition.

“Our congregation has since the beginning of 2023 been memorializing each mass shooting that’s taken place in the United States of America,” said The Very Reverend Matthew Bradley.

The priest said each month volunteers with the church put up a placard noting a mass shooting.

“This week we added Louisville, Kentucky, which was a real. It was a poignant moment,” Bradley said. 

He said statistically it’s always a possibility that a mass shooting can happen anywhere or anytime.

“All the statistics go away when it’s your town. And when it’s your neighbors who are being victimized. When it’s your schools that are being lockdown,” Bradley said. “Your colleagues who are texting to see if you’re ok? You’re texting to see if they’re ok? It’s one thing to pray week by week, and it’s another thing entirely to experience that shock, sadness, anger.”

The exhausting emotions communities across the city and state are experiencing as more details emerge.

“As a member of this community, as a father of young kids, as a spouse, as a husband, I’m worried about my neighbors and my neighborhood. I’m worried about if this could happen again,” Bradley said. “I’m so saddened that, mass shootings aside, we have people who are shot just about every day in this city and it’s a staggering price to pay.”

On Wednesday, a city-wide vigil is being held at the Muhammad Ali Center at 5 p.m. ET.