BY DANIEL A. GRECH

 A religious service memorializing the children and mothers of Cuba was held Saturday in front of Elián González's former home, opening a 24-hour vigil to mark the
 one-year anniversary of the boy's removal from Miami.

 ``Here we are a year later in front of a house filled with so many beautiful and grave things,'' the Rev. Francisco Santana said to the crowd of 250 from a portable stage positioned in front of the house.

 The wall behind the stage was plastered with enlarged images of INS agent Betty Mills clutching a wide-eyed Elián. The words ``Prosecute Racists'' were printed on the pictures.

 The service -- performed in Spanish -- featured prayers of hope, songs of freedom and calls for reconciliation and healing, punctuated by chants of ``Libertad!'' and ``Viva Elián!''

 The vigil was expected to continue until 5 a.m. today.

 From the tears shed by people in the audience, the service made clear that the feelings of some in the Cuban community had not lessened in a year.

 ``We feel sadness, anger, humiliation,'' said Frank Quintero, a González family attorney, from the front doorstep of the house.

 ``But we also feel a lot of pride in the people of this community who did what they thought right.''

 The ceremony featured a dozen children from Los Ismaelillos, a Miami children's group that sends school supplies and writes letters to the children of opposition leaders in Cuba.

 The youngsters read poems, portions of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and sang a song for freedom to the tune of Guantanamera.

 The group also presented a broken heart of red carnations to symbolize Cuban mothers' suffering, and a single red rose on a white lace pillow for Elián's mother, Elisabeth Brotons, who died while trying to bring her son to the United States.

 Lázaro González, flanked by his brother Delfín and several of the family's legal defenders, spoke of a need for forgiveness.

 ``The González family wants to make it clear to everyone that we still love as always Juan Miguel and the rest of the family in Cuba,'' said Lázaro González. ``We only want freedom for all Cuba's children.''

 Carmen Jimenez, 60, listened to Lazaro's words, holding a ``Keep Elian Free'' sign and quietly crying.

 ``I'm thinking of the boy,'' she said. ``I wish he would come back.''

                                    © 2001