A church is hosting a prayer vigil and opened its doors last night in response to the stabbing of a 16-year-old school boy in Aberdeen.
Bailey Gwynne was stabbed at his school, Cults Academy, yesterday and later died in hospital.
Cults Parish Church is now hoping to be a welcoming space for those affected by the tragedy.
Rev Ewan Gilchrist told Christian Today: "Death makes us feel useless – a sudden death, a violent death and a young death triples the sense of uselessness. We hate being useless but at the very least the Church could open our doors to all those affected.
"The school bus stops outside the church doors, and the kids would run through the grounds.
"We have simply opened the doors for the church to be a safe place, a listening place and a healing place."
The church is hosting a candlelit vigil this evening at 8pm in honour of Bailey.
Gilchrist spoke of his hope for this evening: "Yes, people can light candles, put a prayer in the prayer tree, write wall messages to Bailey, but most of all they can simply come with their sadness and bewilderment and questions and be welcome."
The vicar shared that they do not know how many people will attend the vigil, as "there is no script to follow" when a young boy is killed.
"We are not trying to give people trite answers, not throwing scripture like dolly mixtures, but offering a safe and listening place which is part of a healing gospel."
Emergency services were called to Cults Academy at 1:30pm on Wednesday following the stabbing. The incident is being treated as murder and police have charged a 16-year-old boy in connection with Bailey's death.
He was described by head teacher Anna Muirhead as "very gentle [and] caring". She described the pupils and staff as "totally devastated" and in a "state of total shock."
In a statement, council chief executive Angela Scott said: "I know that there were individual acts of heroism at the school."
She added: "I fully appreciate that there were sights and experiences for many that you simply do not expect to have to face. The anguish being suffered by parents, family and friends is unimaginable."
