South Africans of all creeds and
colors have been gathering in houses of worship across the country to reflect
on the life and deeds of Mandela, who died on Thursday aged 95. The nationwide
day of prayer is the formal start of commemorations that will culminate in
Mandela's burial on December 15 in Qunu, the village where he spent his early
childhood.
Prayers were also held in London
in a remembrance service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. who
hailed Mandela's "determination in the face of evil and ... humanity in
the experience of victory."
On Tuesday, a memorial service is
to be held in a Johannesburg stadium. It is expected that around 80,000 people
will attend, among them US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon.
Mandela's body will then lie in state for three days from Wednesday.
His coffin is to be taken through the streets of Pretoria each morning to allow
as many people as possible to say farewell.
Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201312090138.html
No comments:
Post a Comment