WASHINGTON (CBSDC) - While the nation is struggling to comprehend the devastation that’s ripped through the small Connecticut town of Newtown Friday, locally people in the D.C. area are coming together to provide their own source of healing.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell responded to the deadliest elementary school shooting in U.S. history with a reflection on how his own state overcame its own tragedy in April 2007.

He said the state of Virginia understands the pain those affected by the Newton incident are going through, adding that the state’s residents still have “painful memories” from the shooting at Virginia Tech that killed 32 people.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the all of those touched by this tragedy,” McDonnell said.

The ‘Black Student Union’ will be holding a candle lit vigil at the Nyumburu Amphitheater on campus at 7 p.m. as their way of paying respects to the lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary.

Come out and pay respects to the lives lost today in Connecticut at the Nyumburu Ampitheater 7pm

—
BSU UMCP (@BlackTerp) December 14, 2012

Inside the beltway, a representative for the Washington National Cathedral offered some spiritual words of hope and prayer and will host a special service Sunday to address gun violence.

“The horrific shooting of children and adults in Newtown, Connecticut, is a tragedy that elicits both our grief and our moral outrage on behalf of the victims and their families,” said Reverend Gary Hall. “In a political climate unwilling to address the realities of gun violence in America, a wide range of faith traditions, including the Episcopal Church, has strongly advocated gun control for several decades.”

That session against will take place during the services of Holy Eucharist at 8:45 and then again at 11:15 a.m. on Sunday morning.

“Washington National Cathedral pledges to pray for the victims, their families, the assailant, and the survivors.”

Other area vigils to be held Friday include the Dahlgren Quad on the Georgetown campus at 10:30 p.m. and a group of Connecticut natives will hold a vigil for the home state at the Washington monument at 7 p.m.