A small banner packed with messages of hope and support signed by Newtown employees, first responders and even some of the families who lost loved ones on 12/14 elicited a heartfelt response from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.

The banner, which was sent to Boston shortly after the marathon bombing on April 15, offered a symbol of solidarity between two New England locations rocked by violence in the past months

“All of us were very moved by this kind and thoughtful gesture,” Mayor Menino wrote, in his response to First Selectman Pat Llodra.

Mayor Menino said that while the city has been “flooded with offers of support and prayers from around the world,” none of those gestures “meant as much as the banner you sent from Newtown.”

As a result, the Newtown banner is now posted in the lobby of Boston City Hall “for all to see and appreciate,” Mayor Menino said.

Some local residents and others who stopped by the First Selectman’s office also had the opportunity to sign the 4 x 6-foot banner.