"Messiah" mourned at elaborate funeral in S. Korea
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Believers of the Unification Church mourn during memorial services for Evangelist Reverend Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60km north-east of Seoul on Sept 6, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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This handout photo taken and received on Sept 6, 2012 from the Unification Church in South Korea shows special VIPs viewing the body (left) of the church's late founder, Mr Sun Myung Moon, during a restricted viewing at the church's complex in Gapyeong, 60km east of Seoul. -- PHOTO: AFP/Unification Church
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Unification Church honour guards (centre) carry the coffin containing late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Unification Church honour guards salute in front of a portrait of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon (centre) during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Ms Han Hak Ja, widow of Evangelist Reverend Sun-Myung Moon, sits beside the coffin containing Moon's body during a funeral service for the late, founder of the Unification Church, at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60km north-east of Seoul on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Unification Church honour guards carry the coffin (right) containing late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. More than 30,000 mourners, many weeping openly, attended the elaborate, flower-strewn funeral in South Korea Saturday of their "messiah" and Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon. -- PHOTO: AFP
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A family member carries a portrait of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon during Moon's funeral at the CheongShim Peace World Center, Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Honor guards carry the body of Sun Myung Moon as his family members follow during a funeral service for the late founder of the Unification Church, at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km (37 miles) northeast of Seoul on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Hyung-Jin Moon, Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon's youngest son and successor, weeps as he delivers a speech during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Relatives of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon carry a portrait of Moon (C) during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Hyung-Jin Moon (3rd L), Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon's youngest son and successor and followers gesture for the late Moon during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Han Hak Ja, wife of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, weeps during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Mourners weep during a funeral of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church, at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Mourners gather during a funeral of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church, at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Moon Guk Jin (L), Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon's son and leader of businesses operated by the church and his wife attend Moon's funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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The Rev. Hyung-jin Moon, the youngest son of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, attends his father's funeral at the CheongShim Peace World Center, Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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A hearse, left, carrying the body of the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church preceded by a vehicle displaying Moon's photograph, leaves after his funeral service at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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A funeral car containing the body of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon drives past followers after his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Believers of the Unification Church mourn during memorial services for Evangelist Reverend Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60km north-east of Seoul on Sept 6, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
This handout photo taken and received on Sept 6, 2012 from the Unification Church in South Korea shows special VIPs viewing the body (left) of the church's late founder, Mr Sun Myung Moon, during a restricted viewing at the church's complex in Gapyeong, 60km east of Seoul. -- PHOTO: AFP/Unification Church
Unification Church honour guards (centre) carry the coffin containing late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Unification Church honour guards salute in front of a portrait of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon (centre) during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Ms Han Hak Ja, widow of Evangelist Reverend Sun-Myung Moon, sits beside the coffin containing Moon's body during a funeral service for the late, founder of the Unification Church, at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, about 60km north-east of Seoul on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Unification Church honour guards carry the coffin (right) containing late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. More than 30,000 mourners, many weeping openly, attended the elaborate, flower-strewn funeral in South Korea Saturday of their "messiah" and Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon. -- PHOTO: AFP
A family member carries a portrait of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon during Moon's funeral at the CheongShim Peace World Center, Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Honor guards carry the body of Sun Myung Moon as his family members follow during a funeral service for the late founder of the Unification Church, at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km (37 miles) northeast of Seoul on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Hyung-Jin Moon, Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon's youngest son and successor, weeps as he delivers a speech during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Relatives of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon carry a portrait of Moon (C) during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Hyung-Jin Moon (3rd L), Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon's youngest son and successor and followers gesture for the late Moon during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Han Hak Ja, wife of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, weeps during his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Mourners weep during a funeral of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church, at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Mourners gather during a funeral of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church, at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Moon Guk Jin (L), Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon's son and leader of businesses operated by the church and his wife attend Moon's funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
The Rev. Hyung-jin Moon, the youngest son of late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, attends his father's funeral at the CheongShim Peace World Center, Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
A hearse, left, carrying the body of the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the controversial founder of the Unification Church preceded by a vehicle displaying Moon's photograph, leaves after his funeral service at the CheongShim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, South Korea, on Saturday, Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
A funeral car containing the body of late Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon drives past followers after his funeral ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gapyeong, about 60 km east of Seoul, on Sept 15, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
GAPYEONG, South Korea (AFP) - More than 30,000 mourners, many weeping openly, attended the elaborate, flower-strewn funeral in South Korea Saturday of their "messiah" and Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon.
In a ceremony that had all the trappings of a state funeral, Mr Moon's carved, red-lacquer coffin was carried by men in military-style uniforms into a stadium at the church headquarters in Gapyeong, 60km east of Seoul.
The vast, covered arena, dominated by an altar where a giant portrait of Mr Moon stood on a landscaped bank of floral tributes, was packed to capacity with church members - thousands of whom had flown in from overseas.
Many sobbed quietly as the honour guard, accompanied by members of Mr Moon's immediate family, moved through the stadium and placed the coffin at the foot of the portrait.
