Μake us preferred on Google With tears in their eyes, flowers in their hands and his songs on their lips, hundreds of people gathered in Nikaia for a second day to say a final goodbye to Giorgos Mazonakis, who died at the age of 54 on Wednesday, September 9, after suffering cardiac arrest at a private medical clinic.
The public vigil for the beloved singer’s body continued into the early hours of Monday, with hundreds of fans passing through the Holy Church of the Holy Trinity, in the neighborhood where he was born and raised.
On Monday afternoon, the people who stood in line for hours to pay their respects will accompany him to his final resting place. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m., after which his body will be taken to the Third Cemetery of Athens, where he will be buried.
Mazonakis’ body arrived at the church, which was packed with people, shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Sunday amid scenes of deep emotion. Loudspeakers in the streets played his song “Mikres Ores” (“Small Hours”) while people showered the car carrying his body with flowers. Shortly before the body was taken inside the church for the overnight public vigil, the crowd gathered outside shouted “Immortal” in honor of the late figure.
The turnout of friends and fans had been large since early Sunday afternoon, with people of all ages patiently waiting in line to enter the church. Many held flowers, while others left notes featuring lyrics from the singer’s songs.
The large crowd also led to several incidents of people feeling unwell, with Greece’s National Emergency Medical Care Center providing first aid.
In his old neighborhood
Nikaia had long been a point of reference for Mazonakis. He was born and raised there, among the streets and vacant lots of the neighborhood, before embarking on his own career in Greek music.
His return to his “old neighborhood” for his final farewell carried a particularly symbolic significance. Thousands of people passed through the area, while some traveled to Nikaia from other parts of the country. Buses carrying his fans arrived in the area, bringing people who wanted to be there to bid him a final farewell.
The moments surrounding the arrival of Mazonakis’ body were particularly emotional, as the coffin passed in front of his parents and sisters.
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Throughout the night, artists also passed through the church to pay their respects to the singer, with whom they had worked or shared personal connections.
With his songs
Mazonakis’ presence was felt throughout the night through his music. Some of his most beloved songs could be heard playing from speakers in the area, while on several occasions fans sang along.
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The church loudspeakers, however, appealed to the crowd to remain calm and refrain from playing music, as it had been Mazonakis’ own wish that hymns be heard during his farewell.
