Jamaicans paid their respects to Her Majesty, The Queen, at a National Memorial Service at the St. Andrew Parish Church on Sunday (October 2).
The ceremony was held as Jamaica joined other Commonwealth countries in commemorating the life and service of Her Majesty, following the State Funeral held at Westminster Abbey in England on Monday, September 19.
Governor-General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen; Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness; and Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, headed the list of attendees, which included ministers of government, members of parliament, and members of the diplomatic corps.
The service included scripture readings by the Governor-General, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, and tributes in song by the church choir and the Kingston College Choir.
Archbishop of the West Indies and Bishop of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, the Most Rev. Dr. Howard Gregory, who delivered the sermon, lauded the stewardship of The Queen as admirable.
“We must take cognisance of her pioneering role as a female world leader in what has been a male-dominated world. In much of her reign, women did not enjoy the vote in many nations or even occupied positions of leadership within their nations,” he pointed out.
Other officials who attended the service included Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Favyal Williams; Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson; and President of the Senate, Senator the Hon. Tom Tavares-Finson.
British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Judith Slater and United States Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Nick Perry, among other members of the diplomatic corps, were also in attendance.
The Queen, who is the longest-reigning British monarch, serving for 70 years, demised peacefully on Thursday, September 8. She was 96 years old.
