Joyous, singing South Africans gathered in the rain today to honour Nelson Mandela at a massive memorial service that is expected to draw one hundred heads of state and other luminaries, united in tribute to a global symbol of reconciliation.
-
-
Mourners display their Nelson Mandela T-shirts as they wait for the memorial service for former South African president Nelson Mandela at the FNB Stadium in Soweto near Johannesburg. Muhammed Muheisen / AP Photo -
The stands slowly start to fill ahead of the memorial service at the FNB Stadium which hosted the World Cup final in 2010. Peter Dejong / AP Photo -
People arrive at the stadium, also known as Soccer City, ahead of the national memorial service. World leaders from US President Barack Obama to Cuba’s Raúl Castro joined thousands of South Africans to honour Nelson Mandela. Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters -
Women pose for a photo. Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi / AP Photo -
A woman sings. Muhammed Muheisen / AP Photo -
People sing and dance as they arrive at the stadium. Ronen Zvulun / Reuters -
A person clutches on to an official programme. Peter Dejong / AP Photo -
A man carries a poster of Mandela. Markus Schreiber / AP Photo -
People arrive at the stadium. Siphiwe Sibeko / Reuters -
A mourner sings before the memorial service. Muhammed Muheisen / AP Photo -
A man waves a South African flag. Yannis Behrakis / Reuters -
People sing and dance as they wait for the start of the mass memorial service. Ronen Zvulun / Reuters -
A man poses for the camera wearing oversized sunglasses and a homemade hat in homage to Mandela. Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters -
People sing and dance in the rain while waiting for the start. Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters -
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, left, is greeted after arriving for the service. Ben Curtis / AP Photo -
The South African Broadcasting Corporation live feed shows French President Francois Hollande and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arriving at the memorial service. SABC / AFP Photo -
Sweden’s Princess Victoria at the memorial service. Odd Anderson / AFP Photo -
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, centre, arrives with joint UN-Arab League Syria envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, right, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, left. AP Photo/SABC Pool -
Irish band U2’s lead singer Bono and South African actress Charlize Theron attend the memorial service. Odd Andersen / AFP Photo -
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, left, with joint UN-Arab League Syria envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, right, and former US President Jimmy Carter, centre. AP Photo / SABC Pool -
South Africa’s last apartheid-era president FW de Klerk arrives at the Stadium. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images -
Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito, centre, and the German President Joachim Gauck, top right, takes their seats. Peter Dejong / AP Photo -
Former British Prime Minister John Major, left, and current deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, centre. SABC / AFP Photo
In pictures: Nelson Mandela memorial service
Most popular today
