London set for Prayers to Mark One Year Since 7/7 Bombings

|PIC1|To mark one year since the 7/7 2005 terrorist bombings, a memorial service for the victims of London will be held in the City on Friday 7 July, 2006.

While the service will be held at St Botolph’s Church, Aldgate in the City of London at 1 pm, prayers will be said in Regent’s Park, St Paul’s Cathedral and St Pancras Church, close to Tavistock Square, the site of the bus blast. The day will be a time of silence and services.

There will be 6,000 extra policemen, mostly armed, on the streets and in Tube trains to “provide reassurance”.
Last November, the Queen had led a national memorial service dedicated to the victims at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Bereaved families and survivors of the four blasts were also joined in tribute by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor led the prayers of remembrance for all who were affected by the tragedy, including emergency workers who helped in the aftermath, as well as offerings of thanksgiving, reported the BBC. |TOP|

Around 2,300 people gathered, including transport workers, senior politicians and police officers, for the service, with candles lit during the service to represent the four bombing sites.

Dr Rowan Williams had delivered a sermon in which he said: “We are here grieving, after all, because those who so pointlessly and terribly died were, each one of them, precious, non-replaceable.”

“God does not forget the smallest of his creatures. And he calls us all to share that loving, sometimes painful, remembering by which we honour the gifts given us through the lives of our dear friends, parents and children, sisters and brothers.”