Final farewell for Sir David Amess at Westminster Cathedral
The service is a chance for Sir David's colleagues to pay their respects
Private service held for Sir David Amess in Southend
Author: PA ReportersPublished 23rd Nov 2021 Last updated 23rd Nov 2021
Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer will be among the senior politicians attending a Westminster Cathedral service for Sir David Amess, the Conservative MP who was killed while serving his constituents.
A message from the Pope will be read as the requiem mass is held in London following a private funeral held in Southend on Monday.
The Prime Minister and the Labour leader are both set to pay their respects to the father-of-five after he was stabbed to death while holding a constituency surgery at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea on October 15th.
The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will preside and Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, will deliver a message from Pope Francis.
People lined the streets to pay their respects to the Southend West MP as mourners attended a private ecumenical service at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell on Monday.
Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, a friend of Sir David’s, read a statement on behalf of the Amess family, similar to the one released shortly after his death, asking people to “set aside hatred” and urging tolerance.
Sir David’s coffin, draped in a union flag, was carried by pallbearers from Southend Fire Service.
After the church service, they carried the coffin to a horse-drawn hearse for a procession around Southend.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Southend’s Civic Centre to pay their respects as the hearse, led by four black horses, paused in front of it.
Uniformed police officers bowed their heads as the hearse arrived and people applauded.
Southend West MP Sir David was killed during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on October 15th.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been charged with his murder and also with preparing acts of terrorism between May 1st 2019 and September 28th this year.
He is due to enter pleas in December.
Following his death, MPs paid tribute to Sir David in the Commons and a service was held in Sir David’s honour at St Margaret’s Church.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer were among around 800 politicians in attendance to hear the Archbishop of Canterbury say the “light lit by public service” provided by MPs like Sir David “must never be put out”.
Here is how people paid their respects to Sir David Amess:
Sir David Amess was first commemorated at his local St Mary's Church in Southend, his local constituency. The church provided the backdrop for family and friends to pay their respects to the MP, with constituents lining the streets.
Final farewell for Sir David Amess at Westminster Cathedral
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Amess was then taken to Westminster Cathedral in London for a requiem mass the following day. Fellow MPs, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Kier Starmer, gathered and remembered the politician. The coffin was taken into the cathedral from a hearse. During the service, Pope Francis paid tribute to Sir David, commending him for his "devoted public service".
Sir David Amess was first commemorated at his local St Mary's Church in Southend, his local constituency. The church provided the backdrop for family and friends to pay their respects to the MP, with constituents lining the streets.
The funeral procession was lined with family, friends and former work colleagues of the politician. Fellow Conservative MP Mark Francois gave Amess' eulogy, while Anne Widdecombe read a statement on behalf of the Amess family in remembrance of their husband and father.
Following the funeral, Amess' coffin, draped in the Union Jack was carried out of the church and carried away in a horse-drawn hearse. This allowed those unable to go into the church to pay their respects to the MP along the streets of Southend.
Amess was then taken to Westminster Cathedral in London for a requiem mass the following day. Fellow MPs, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Kier Starmer, gathered and remembered the politician. The coffin was taken into the cathedral from a hearse. During the service, Pope Francis paid tribute to Sir David, commending him for his "devoted public service".
Sir David Amess was first commemorated at his local St Mary's Church in Southend, his local constituency. The church provided the backdrop for family and friends to pay their respects to the MP, with constituents lining the streets.
The funeral procession was lined with family, friends and former work colleagues of the politician. Fellow Conservative MP Mark Francois gave Amess' eulogy, while Anne Widdecombe read a statement on behalf of the Amess family in remembrance of their husband and father.
Following the funeral, Amess' coffin, draped in the Union Jack was carried out of the church and carried away in a horse-drawn hearse. This allowed those unable to go into the church to pay their respects to the MP along the streets of Southend.
Amess was then taken to Westminster Cathedral in London for a requiem mass the following day. Fellow MPs, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Kier Starmer, gathered and remembered the politician. The coffin was taken into the cathedral from a hearse. During the service, Pope Francis paid tribute to Sir David, commending him for his "devoted public service".
