The loss of his sister was too much to bear for little Akeem Marshall, who cried openly for Pearl Amanda Cornelius during the requiem mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral.
It was just after the islandwide observance of three minutes of silence that the singing of Through All The Changing Scenes Of Life brought the family and other members of the congregation to tears as they reflected on the six lives that were the focus of the prayer session.
From 11:45 a.m. the church was packed with locals, visitors and families of those lost, who came out to pay their respects at the service held in remembrance of Cornelius, Shanna Griffith, Nikkita Belgrave, Kelly-Ann Welch, Tiffany Harding and Kellishaw Olliviere, who perished in a fire last Friday night at Tudor Street in The City.
Altar server
Cornelius, who was an altar server at St Patrick’s, was at the time of her death an employee of the Campus Trendz store.
Monsignor Vincent Blackett, in giving the homily, remembered Cornelius as a “gentle and gracious young lady who was much loved and respected by all, and would be missed by the entire parish family”.
He said that as was the case with Princess Diana’s death on August 31, 1997, it would take quite a while for Barbadians to stop mourning.
Play part
Blackett, in calling on the media to play their part, said the tragedy must not be seen as a “nine-day wonder and then be forgotten”, and urged Barbadians to build a “civilisation of love”.
“We need to find time to analyse and deal with our country’s spiritual life,” he said.
He also cautioned Barbadians about saying negative things about the country.
“It is good for us to have that thought of self-criticism
but I want to remind you, and assure that we are not the worst nation of this earth, and even though it is good for us to be self-critical, we need to spend more time looking at our inner self.”
He assured the families that the church would continue to support them
