Message from Pope to be shared at requiem mass for Sir David Amess
A private funeral followed by a requiem mass will be held next week.
A message from the Pope will be delivered at a Westminster service to remember MP Sir David Amess who was killed last month.
A private ecumenical funeral will be held in Sir David’s constituency of Southend on Monday, where the Conservative MP’s friend and colleague Mark Francois will deliver a eulogy.
The service, which will be broadcast live by BBC Radio Essex, will see Sir David’s close friend and former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe read a statement from Sir David’s family before a funeral procession will move through parts of Southend.
The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will preside while Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, will deliver a message from Pope Francis.
The Roman Catholic Priest for Parliament, Canon Pat Browne, will give the homily.
The service is expected to be attended by current and former parliamentarians, and Ms Widdcombe will give the eulogy while doorkeepers from the House of Commons are set to provide a guard of honour.
Cathedral choristers and choirs from Southend, including the Leigh Orpheus and the Music Man Project, will sing.
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, has been charged with his murder and also with preparing acts of terrorism between May 1 2019 and September 28 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 nearby 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”.
