By Church bells will toll on Saturday night to remember those murdered in the Manchester Arena terror attack on the fourth anniversary of the bombing.
Prayer services will be held at 9am and 4.30pm at Manchester Cathedral during which the names will be read out of the 22 people who died in the suicide attack on May 22 2017.
The cathedral will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm for private prayer and the lighting of candles, and the prayer services will be livestreamed on the cathedral’s Facebook page.
Four years ago thousands of children and parents had enjoyed an Ariana Grande concert at the arena.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester will never forget the terrible events of 22 May 2017, nor the moving way the city came together to express solidarity with all those affected by the attack and a determination not to give in to hatred.
“This year will pay our respects once more, albeit in a necessarily low-key fashion, and our thoughts remain especially with the families of those who lost loved ones in the attack.”
Tributes paid to the 22 people who died ahead of fourth anniversary of attack.
Manchester-born Salman Abedi, 22, surrounded by the throng of youngsters leaving the gig, exploded his shrapnel-packed rucksack bomb, sending thousands of nuts and bolts shredding everything in their path.
Family handouts
Along with the 22 bystanders killed, six of them children, hundreds more were injured.
Joanne Roney, chief executive of the council, said: “Four years may have passed but we know that for many the pain of what happened on 22 May 2017 has not diminished. We will always remember those who were killed, as well as those left with physical and mental injuries.
“Of course, anniversaries have a particular resonance but we don’t just remember them one day every year and it is heartening that good progress is being made on the city’s permanent memorial.”
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