Quick facts – Former Pope Benedict to have simple funeral after lying in state
Vatican CityReuters The body of former Pope Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday, will lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica on Monday and remain there for three days before his funeral, which is set for 5th January. Here are the initial details of the ceremonies, as outlined in a Vatican statement. Lying in stateUntil […]
A celebration, then death – Cameroon landslide buries 15 mourners
Yaounde, CameroonReuters A cigarette break made the difference between life and death for Makolo Doss, who stepped aside from a memorial celebration to have a smoke just as a mass of red earth suddenly collapsed on the gathering. Fifteen others at the event, in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde on Sunday, were not so lucky, killed […]
Cyprus Church leader Archbishop Chrysostomos II laid to rest
Nicosia, Cyprus AP Chrysostomos II, the leader of Cyprus’ Orthodox Church, was laid to rest Saturday with a ceremony that reflected centuries of ecclesiastical tradition, eulogised as his church’s greatest reformer and an outspoken fighter for his people. The spiritual head of the world’s 300 million Orthodox, Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew, was dressed in resplendent Byzantine […]
Japan’s funeral for divisive slain PM Shinzo Abe fuels backlash
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan will honour former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a rare state funeral on Tuesday, a ceremony that has become a flashpoint for public anger over political scandal and deepened opposition to successor Fumio Kishida. Abe’s assassination in July touched off a series of revelations about ties between lawmakers in the ruling Liberal […]
Thousands pass Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin as she lies in state in London
London, UKReuters Mourners from all walks of life filed past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II through the night as she lay in state in London’s ancient Westminster Hall, paying their final respects to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch before her funeral on Monday. After days of processions and ritual as the queen’s body was brought to […]
Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrives in Edinburgh as mourners line streets
Edunburgh, ScotlandReuters Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday after a six-hour journey from her summer home in the Scottish Highlands, past tens of thousands of mourners lining the route, many in sombre silence, some applauding and others in tears. At the end of its slow journey through picturesque Scottish countryside, villages, small […]
Quick facts – Plans for the run-up to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral
London, UK Reuters The funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday aged 96, will take place on 19th September and her body will lie in state for four days prior to that, royal officials announced on Saturday. Here are details about events in the run-up to the funeral as provided so far […]
Japan bids sombre farewell to slain Shinzo Abe, its longest-serving premier
Tokyo, JapanReuters With prayers, flowers and flags draped in black ribbons, Japan on Tuesday said farewell to Shinzo Abe, a polarising figure who dominated politics as the country’s longest-serving premier, before being gunned down at a campaign rally last week. Crowds packed pavements lined with a heavy police presence as the hearse carrying Abe departed […]
Priest’s killing in Pakistan reignites fear in Christian community
Peshawar, PakistanReuters The killing of a Christian priest in the city of Peshawar has reignited fear amongst local parishioners and brought back painful memories of one of Pakistan’s bloodiest attacks on the community in the same city. Gunmen shot and killed Pastor William Siraj and wounded another Christian cleric as they drove home from Sunday […]
South Africans intrigued by Desmond Tutu’s choice of aquamation
Cape Town, South AfricaReuters Anti-apartheid hero Desmond Tutu’s choice of aquamation over cremation or traditional burial came as a surprise to some South Africans, while others were impressed by this environmentally conscious move. By opting for aquamation Tutu, who died on 26th December aged 90, joined a growing “green burial” movement centred around the use […]