Mandela Remembered from Westminster Abbey - Edited Coverage

Earlier today, there was a special service to commemorate a very great

man, a hero of our times, Nelson Mandela. When he died, aged 95, back

in December, world leaders flocked to South Africa to mourn him. Today,

is Britain's turn. Britain, who played such a central role in the

fight against apartheid and in keeping Nelson Mandela's name alive

that he used to call Britain the second headquarters of the movement.

Today, from South Africa, people came here to join people from

Britain, politicians and others, for this very special service, to

remember a great man. Inside the Abbey the Soweto Gospel

Choir already singing here. They came from South Africa yesterday and

were rehearsing here colourfully dressed and they'll be singing

throughout the service alongside the choir of the of the Abbey itself.

This is something of a celebration, rather than a memorial service. A

moment to remember, with affection and pride, Nelson Mandela. And from

his family, two members in particular. Zanani on right and

Zinzi on the left. Only 18 months old when her father was sent to

Robben Island. It is she who went to the stadium in Soweto in 1985 to

reject the offer the South African Government had made to Nelson

Mandela for conditional freedom and read out, "I cannot and will not

give any undertaking at a time when I and you, the people, are not

free." An important moment and turning point in the struggle with

apartheid. And there are many people who have come here for this service.

Familiar figure there, Idris Elba. He played Nelson Mandela in the

film, The Long Walk To Freedom. Douglas Hurd, the former Foreign

Secretary. There are politicians and members of the antiapartheid

movement and people invited here by the Dean, for all kinds of reasons.

Nelson Mandela, always held Britain in very high regard. It was the

constitution and the democracy, the long-established democracy in

Britain he liked, as well as what he called the perfect gentleman. He

always said he was an Anglophile and came back here several times. This

affection dated back to the very earliest days of the struggle

against apartheid. His ties with Britain, a called he called the

second headquarters of his movement, went back over 50 years, to a visit

to London in 1962. He was already a wanted man in South Africa for

inciting dissent among black people. He spent ten days in London in

April, staying with his South African friend Mary Benson, an

antiapartheid campaigner. He met journalists and politicians

sympathetic to the cause to rally support and he found time to visit

some of the iconic sights of the city he admired. On his return to

South Africa, he was arrested and imprisoned, and the sentence meant

to see him die and forgotten in jail. But not so, after 27 years in

prison, he chose Britain for his return to the world stage. Only two

months after his release, he addressed a jubilant crowd in

Wembley Stadium. Thank you that you chose to care. The prison walls at

Robben Island, the thickness, we heard your voices demanding our

freedom. In the spirit of reconciliation that marked his

politics, he met Margaret Thatcher at Downing Street. The person would

had a few years earlier called the ANC a terrorist organisation. He

said she was motherly. Four years later, in 1994, he was sworn in as

South Africa's first black President and his first State visit to London

made his days on the run seem a very distant past. All the ceremonial

stops were pulled out. But today's State visitor was different from the

usual run of monarchs and Presidents. Nelson Mandela is a kind

of icon. You have yourself provided the leadership and by your

willingness to embrace your former captors, have set the course towards

national reconciliation and freedom for all the people of South Africa.

With Prince Charles he visited Brixton, the heart of Britain black

community. He gave a speech from the balcony of South Africa House, a

plan that had seen many antiapartheid protests. The

antiapartheid movement was broken in the United Kingdom. I would like to

take every one of you in my pocket and return with you to South Africa.

London returned his affection. In 2007, a statue was unfailed in

Parliament Square. Mandela recognised as a statesman, something

he couldn't have dreamt of back in the 1960s. When Oliver Tambo and I

visited Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square in 1962 we half

joked that we hoped that one day a statue of a black person would be

erected here. Prime Minister David Cameron

arriving coming through the doors into the choir. The actor Richard E

Grant, just on the centre there at the back. Joan Armatrading, the

singer is here. Politicians studying their orders of service, Betty

Boothroyd there, looking through the service that's to come. But now, the

Deputy President arrives and he's the son of a minor, born in the

township and he was a student activist and soldier in the ANC's

military wing and charged under the terrorist Act and served a ten-year

sentence in Robben Island with Mandela. Then he rose in the ANC

after that. He fought against President Zouma for the leadership

and lost. And then took up this job which is going to end when he

retires as Vice President. He's leaving for private life. Greeting

Desmond Tutu there. Prince Harry comes to the West Door. Again, to be

greeted by the Dean. It's raining outside and we were told many times

during the ten days of mourning for Nelson Mandela that rain in South

Africa is a sign of good fortune. Maybe here we have had too much of

it to count as good fortune, but he will be processed up to the choir as

the first hymn. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, starts. HYMN: "Guide

Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" By William Williams. # Guide me, O thou

great Redeemer. # Pilgrim through this barren land. # I am weak, but

thou art mighty. # Hold me with thy powerful hand. # Bread of heaven. #

Feed me till I want no more. # Open now the crystal fountain. # Whence

the healing stream doth flow. # Let the fiery cloudy pillar. # Lead me

all my journey through. # Strong Deliverer. # Be thou still my

strength and shield. # When I tread the verge of Jordan. # Bid my

anxious fears subside. # Death of death, and hell's Destruction. #

Land me safe on Canaan's side. # Songs of praises. # I will ever give

to thee". # Songs of Praises

# I will ever give to thee... # A service of Thanksgiving for South

Africa was held here in Westminster Abbey 20 years ago to celebrate the

first democratic elections, which brought black majority rule to South

Africa and the return of the country to membership of the Commonwealth.

At that time, all who were here and people throughout the world thanked

God for the triumph of a spirit of reconciliation and for peaceful

transition. It's hard to imagine that any of this would have been

possible without the grace and generosity shown by Nelson Mandela.

Today, we join together representing the people of South Africa of the

United Kingdom and of the Commonwealth to give thanks to

almighty God for a truly great man. As we recall the life and work of

Nelson Mandela we shall give heart-felt thanks. And we shall pray

for the people of South Africa and for peace and justice in God's

world. Now an extracts of Nelson Mandela

speech will be played. The time for the healing of the

wounds has come. The moment to preach The moment to bridge the

chasms that divide us has come. The time to build is upon us. We have,

at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to

liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty,

deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. We succeeded

to take our last steps to freedom in conditions of relative peace. We

commit ourselves to the construction of a complete, just and lasting

peace. We have triumphed in the effort to implant hope in the

breasts of the millions of our people. We enter into a covenant

that we shall build the society in which all SouthAfricans, both black

and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their

hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity - a rainbow

nation at peace with itself and the world. .

The Soweto Gospel Choir will stand and sing a protest song.

A tribute now from the Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa. Nelson

Mandela a visionary leader, represented the possibility of a

better human society. Not only in South Africa, but in the world at

large. His life gave values. Nelson Mandela never claimed glory even

when he had achieved great things. He was shaped by the struggle which

shunned confrontation, but held values of compassion and solidarity

that went beyond simple opposition to apartheid. The struggle sought to

advance social comfort and to embrace the value of the natural

environment. He the unenviable challenge to make the dream which

Nelson Mandela lived to come to pass. We can no longer be

indifferent in the world, where children's stomachs are bloated with

hunger. We can no longer pretend that racial discrimination is a

figure of the imagination. Humanity must strive for free political

activity, democracy and a right to differ without the prospect of

imprisonment, torture and assassination. The most enduring

monument we can build to Mandela's memory is to strive for human

solidarity to conquer racism and sexism, to eradicate social

inequalities, educate the masses, make health accessible to all, and

uphold a Human Rights culture. Posterity will look at the current

generation in the light of the Mandela experience. If we fail, it

will not make sense to future generations that while Mandela

evolved into a rugged moral force that edged humanity, higher on the

plain of civilisation, those who followed him, either failed to live

up to his philosophy or simply destroyed his dream. Trance figuring

the Mandela consciousness means boldly addressing global racial

inequalities, while this cannot be the task of one nation, Britain is

among the nations better suited to lead this charge. As Nelson Mandela

taught us, no one is born hating another person because of the colour

of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate

and if they can learn to hate they can be taught to love, for love

comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Nelson

Mandela would have been humbled by this occasion. Perhaps wrist fully

recalling with his wonderful smile that British Christian missionaries

decreed his first name. Who knows maybe they were privy to the

translation of his birth name, looking for trouble! The herd boy

turned freedom fighter, the prisoner turned president, never forgot his

British connection. Indeed, he revered it. Even during the long

decades in the cold cell in Robben Island when the anti-apartheid

struggle was bitter, facing ruthless, brutal repression at home

and when there was mostly a majority in the House of Commons against him

and his African National Congress. Yet tens of thousands of British

citizens supported his fight for freedom. The courageous bishops,

Ambrose Reefs and David Shepherd who led from the pulpit and the street.

Grannies who boycotted South African oranges, trade unionist who gave

solidarity, protesters who disrupted sports events and a few stalwart

meks of Parliament -- members of Parliament. Nelson Mandela never

missed an opportunity to thank them all, but his generosity to form

opponents was legendary, he never forgot who was on his side and who

he wasn't. Sadly, great causes from slavery abslishtionists to

suffragettes to anti-apartheid campaigners are unpopular at the

very time they most need support. Only to be glorified even santified

once they have triumphed, Nelson Mandela's endearing personality made

him perhaps the international icon of our era. With at least to those

who had the privilege of knowing him an impish mischievous wit.

Apologising for not having attended our wedding, he said, "Perhaps I can

come the next time." At Cardiff Castle he kept a long line of VIPs

waiting as he spotted a group of primary school children. He stopped.

The VIPs sweltered, the children bemused. He proceeded to conduct the

delighted youngsters to a Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The thing we

missed most of all on Robben Island he told me, was the magical innocent

sound of children at play. Including, of course, his own. There

will never be another like Nelson Mandela. Truly an inspiration to us

all and forever more. Now the Soweto Gospel Choir sing again. It is a

song written by one of the first African Britain's to be ordained in

Britain. -- African bishops to be or tained

in Britain. -- ordained in Britain.

The Prime Minister now reads from the gospel according to St John.

Jesus said the thieve cometh not, but for to steal and to kill and to

destroy. I am come that they might have life and that they might have

it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth

his life for the sheep. But he that is not the shepherd who has owned

the sheep are not, see if the wolf coming and relieve eth the sheep and

fleeeth and the wolf catcheth them. The fleeth and care th not for the

sheep, I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine.

As the father knoweth me, even though I know the father and I lay

down my life for the sheep and other sheep I have which are not of this

fold, them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there

shall be one fold and one shepherd. # I heard the voice of Jesus say

# Come unto me and rest # Lay down, thou weary one, lay down

# Thy head upon my breast # I came to Jesus as I was

# Weary and worn and sad # I found in him a resting place

# And he has made me glad # I heard the voice say

# Behold, I freely give # The living water, thirsty one

Now, the Archbishop of Cape Town comes to the l lectern.

May I first thank the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey and Her

Majesty's Government for organising this memorial service? I come from a

country which only a few years ago, a little over 20 years, spotted

signs reading, "Drive carefully, natives cross here." And we were the

natives. People such as Ahmed who spent over two decades on Robben

Island relates how they delighted in changing the signs so they read

somewhat hair raisingly, "Drive carefully, natives very cross here."

LAUGHTER Nelson Mandela and others were

appalled by a system spawning such signs that treated black people as

if they were scum, so they organised the black community and its allies

to resist such a demeaning and dehumanising system, which regarded

us as cheaper. Who treated their dogs far better than they treated

us. After all, they were ashamed to put up public notices that read,

"Natives and dogs not allowed." Madiba was appalled by this and he

and many of his colleague resisted this vicious system and it was for

this noble resistance that he and many others were incarcerated for

life. What would have happened had Mandela died in prison? As was the

intention and hope of the upholders of apartheid. I suppose most would

have regarded him as no better than a terrorist. After all, persons in

high positions in Britain and the United States did dismiss him as

such. Mercifully, for us, and for God's world Mandela did not die in

prison. And this is thanks very, very large to the amaze g -- largely

to the amaze g international -- amazing international anti- parred

I'd -- apartheid movement, Trevor Huddlestone. I use this great pulpit

to say on behalf of our people, thank you, thank you thank you. How

I wish we could open our hearts and see the depth of our gratitude.

Thank you, you who regular picketed South Africa House. Thank you, you

elegant ladies who boycotted South African goods. Thank you, you who

followed a long-hair Peter Hain. To African goods. Thank you, you who

stop South African sports. Thank you all those incredible young people in

other parts of the world. Thank you, thank you, that you changed the

moral climate in your country so that the US Congress was able to

pass the antiapartheid legislation with the presidential veto override.

Against the wishes of a highly popular President Reagan. I visited

Number Ten Downing Street and the Oval office in Washington. My pleas

for sanctions fell on deaf ears. Without the antiapartheid movement

all of you extraordinary human beings, Mandela would so easily have

died in prison. Wonderfully, exhilaratingly the entire world

glued to its TV sets watched as this man emerge from 27 years of

incarceration. And erupted with a collect exhilaration to be matched

only by the joy and the victory in 1994 when Nelson Mandela became the

first democratically elected President of South Africa. And then,

and then, and then the world held its breath fearing that the victory

of the AN would see South Africa overwhelmed by the racial bloodbath

so many had predicted. It didn't happen. It didn't happen. Instead,

the world was mesmerised by the proceedings of the Truth and

Reconciliation Commission. Instead of retribution and revenge, which

everybody had expected, the world saw black and white South Africans

walk ng the path of forgive -- walking the path of forgiving and

reconciliation. It was because he who had spent 27 years in jail game

out -- came out transformed. Transformed from the angry,

militant, young man to the magnanimous lead, who believed --

leader, who believed we could change, every single one of us and

we had the capacity to be great. Each one of us has the capacity to

be magnanimous and to be forgiving, to be generous. We cannot give up on

anyone. Nelson Mandela might not have put it quite like that, but

basically he was saying, "Not a single one of us is a hopeless case

with a first-class ticket to hell." "We all of us, all of us, have the

capacity to be saints." The veneration that we saw worldwide at

his death is because he made us belief -- believe that all, each one

of us, we are made for good, were made for caring, were made for

loving, were made for compassion, were made for laughter, for peace.

For peace such as is proclaimed. Thank you God, thank you, for this

child. Thank you God for Nelson Mandela, who has shown us, each

single one of us, what we can be, each one of us. Loving,

compassionate, caring, made for goodness.

MUSIC: "The Anthem" By Ralph Vaughan Williams.

# Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

# Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem #.

# Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

# Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem #.

The archbishop of Canterbury and York will lead prayers spoken by

people chosen to make -up the different races that reflect South

Africa. Let us pray to the Lord. We give thanks for Nelson Mandela's

exceptional commitment to freedom and forgiveness. And for his

determination to turn hatred into love and anger into recognise cold

reconciliation. Heavenly Father, your son Jesus Christ taught us that

it is only through forgiving others that we can ourselves be forgiven.

We praise you for Madiba's clear vision of freedom for all and for

his unshakeable commitment to lasting peace. Inspired his example

help us work for peace in our homes, for peace in our communities and for

peace in the world through Through Jesus Christ the Lord. Let us give

thanks for Nelson Mandela humanity and for his qualities of

inspiration, fou his humour and his passionate leadership.

Amen. We give thanks for Nelson Mandela's vision of the equality of

all people before God which nourished his soul and inspired his

vision for South Africa. Generous God the diversity of your people and

the rich variety of creation declare the wonder of your love. We prays

you for Madiba's commitment to a reconciled humanity and to the

eradication of the poverty which demeans and enslaves. Enclarj the

capacity of our hearts for one another and grant us the courage to

work for the unity of all people through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray for the Republic of South Africa, for God's blessing

upon our leaders and for the unity and flourishing of all her people.

Almighty God, bless the Government and peoples of South Africa. Grant

wisdom, and integrity to our leaders and peace, prosperity and faith to

our citizens and they maybe united in a common life and purpose and

strengthen the nations of our Commonwealth in one bond and

community to the honour of your holy name through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

Amen. Let us pray for those who long for

freedom from oppression, fear and hatred and for all whose humanity is

trampled by the greed and self interest of others.

Hear the choir of our hearts for all whose lives are diminished by

injustice, prejudice, or violence. Renew their hope, restore their

confidence and hasten the day when your kingdom shall come on earth as

it is in heaven through Jesus Christ Our Lord. God bless Africa, god her

children, guide her leaders and give her peace for Jesus Christ's sake.

Amen. Jesus caught us to call god our father and so each in our own

language we have the confidence to pray.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom

come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day

our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who

trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from

evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and

ever. Amen. N a young man who is member of the

president of the National Union of Students speaks from the Robben

Island Bible. This passage is taken from the collective Shakespeare

smuggled in 1977 into Robben Island into the guise of a Hindu bible.

Prisoners marked their favourite passages and 34 signed their

choices, some with the date. These lines were signed NR Mandela. The

date 16th December. Renamed under apartheid, the day of the covenant

and now called the day of reconciliation. In 1964 I have been

detain as ed as a student activist, a week of that time in police cells

from which I am pulling myself up from the bars of the cell window, I

could just see the island where Mandela and his compatriots were

teaching South Africa, indeed all of humanity about fortitude, and

forebearance and in due time forgiveness too. These are the

linesman man chose -- linesman del la chose Cowards die many times

before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once. Of

all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange

that men should fear, seeing that death, a necessary end, will come

when it will come. . Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good

courage. Hold fast that which is good. Render to no one evil for

evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the weak. Help the

afflicted. Honour all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the

power of the Holy Spirit and the Blessing of God Almighty, the

Father, the son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you

always. Amen. # God save our gracious Queen. #

Long live our noble Queen. # God save our Queen

# Send her victorious. # Happy and glorious.

# Long to reign over us. # God save The Queen. #

So this magnificent service comes to an end. The Dean of Westminster will

leave the clergy -- lead the clergy out. We have heard some powerful and

moving tributes to Nelson Mandela. The people you see here and I've

talked to many of them in the congregation, they are all connected

in some way with the story of Nelson Mandela. That story which has been

told and retold and will continue for many years to inspire people,

the story of a man who spent 27 years in jail and because of his

refusal to come out was in effect the rock on which apartheid was

broken and which it foundered. Perhaps it is just worth remembering

the words of Nelson Mandela in his book The Long Walk To Freedom. We

have not taken the final step of our journey, but a longer step on step

on a difficult road and to live in a way that respects and enhances the

freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just

beginning.