President Obama spoke slowly and deliberately during the memorial service on Sunday night

Emotional: President Obama spoke slowly and deliberately during the memorial service on Sunday night

Touching: The most poignant portion of the speech came when President Obama read the names of each of the 20 young victims

'We gather here in memory of 20 beautiful children and six remarkable adults. They lost their lives in a school that could have been any school in a quiet town full of good and decent people that could have been any town in America.

'All across this land of ours, we have wept with you. We've pulled our children tight, and you must know whatever measure of comfort we can provide, we will provide it.'

As expected, he made several references to the prospective- and likely- legal battles that will come as politicians fight for tougher restrictions on guns in the wake of the shooting. That said, he was clear to avoid specific plans, but took aim at the arguments made by activists who point to the Second Amendment's right to bare arms as a reason to keep guns accessible. 

'Are we prepared to say that such violence visited upon our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?' he said. 

'We've pulled our children tight': A mother holds her child during the memorial service

A particularly poignant moment came in the speech when Mr Obama read the first names of all 20 children who died in the shooting. 

'We can't accept events like this as routine. Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage?' he said, referring to the four other mass shootings that have taken place since Mr Obama was elected. 

In his introduction, Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy said that Mr Obama told him privately that Friday was the most difficult day of his term in office. 

The service started nearly an hour late because the President was delayed by spending more time than expected meeting with the families of the victims from Friday's shooting. 

Showing he stands with Connecticut: The President flew to Newton on Sunday afternoon and spent hours meeting with victims families prior to the memorial service

Bracing himself: President Obama was seated in the front row of the service as he listened to religious leaders begin the emotional remembrance ceremony