Pope to deliver message at Westminster as Sir David Amess' funeral plans revealed

A message from the Pope will be read at a Westminster service to remember Sir David Amess, who was killed last month.

The service will be held at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday 23 November, where Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, will deliver a message from Pope Francis.

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and The Roman Catholic Priest for Parliament, Canon Pat Browne, will also be in attendance.

The service, which will be broadcast live, will see Sir David's close friend and Tory MP Ann Widdecome read a statement from his family, before a funeral procession will move through Southend.

A private funeral will be held in Sir David Amess' constituency of Southend on Monday 22 November, where friend and colleague of Sir David, Mark Francois will deliver a eulogy.

The memorial funeral, which is strictly family and invite-only, will take place at St Mary's Church in Prittlewell.

Following the service, which starts at 1pm, the casket will be paraded on horse-drawn hearse through Southend's streets, where residents will be able to pay their respects.

The estimated timings are as follow:

• 12.15pm church bells will toll
• 1pm memorial service begins
• 2.10pm memorial service ends
• 2.15pm procession will begin from East Street
• 2.20pm approximately the horse-drawn hearse will pause at the Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue and pause for a minute or so to allow people to pay their respects
• 2.35pm approximately the hearse will pause at Iveagh Hall, Leigh Road and will pause again for a minute or two before returning to the chapel of rest for the evening

Cllr Ian Gilbert, Council Leader, said: “We understand residents want to pay their respects to our much-loved Sir David and although for security reasons, we are unable to invite the public into the church for the service, there are other ways for people to pay their respects.

“Residents can also pay their respects by lining the streets of Southend as the hearse passes and writing in the Book of Condolence at the Civic Centre before it closes at 7pm.”

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