Large crowds are coming to pay their respects to the former King of Greece, Constantine, whose body Lay in State in the chapel of Agios Eleftherios in the Metropolis, with the coffin covered with the Greek flag.
Just before 8:30 in the morning, according to the latest estimates, there are more than 1,300 people in the queue. As can be seen from the photos and videos, the queue starts from the chapel of Agios Eleftherios and ends at Mitropoleos street at the height of Kapnikarea Church, almost, close to Monastiraki square.
The first people showed up side the chapel of Agios Eleftherios before 6 in the morning when the popular pilgrimage was scheduled to begin.
The gathered people had covered the largest part of the space in front of the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral with many having come from several regions of Greece.
The body of the former King Constantine will be in the chapel of Agios Eleftherios until 10:30 am. From that time onwards the arrival of those who have been invited to the funeral will begin. “A man who was noble and honoured Greece, we will remember him forever, his memory is eternal”.
Afterward, the funeral services will be held at 12 noon in the Metropolitan Church of Athens presided over by Archbishop Ieronymos II to be followed by the burial in Tatoi.
Due to the funeral, traffic police have placed measures in the centre of Athens, which will be extended to the route to Tatoi at noon. In particular, until 2 in the afternoon, the traffic of vehicles has been stopped in Mitropoleos, Aiolou, and Ermou streets. The family has asked the guests for donations to institutions, instead of a wreath.
According to reports, his son Pavlos will deliver a eulogy. The coffin will be carried by Pavlos with Nikolaos and the two eldest sons of Pavlos.
Archbishop Ieronymos will stand at the Beautiful Gate, while on the right and left there will be 6 plus 6, respectively, Synodical Metropolitans.
To the right and left before the Despotic Throne will stand the Choir of the Temple.
To the right of the casket and in front of the Despotic Throne will stand the family.
To the left of the family will be:
– Current Heads of State
– Former kings
– Heirs to the throne
In particular, in the first row from the right will be the family of the deceased, i.e. the wife of the late King Constantine, Anna Maria, and his children Alexia, Pavlos, Nikolaos, Theodora, and Philipos.
Next to their nieces will sit the former Queen of Spain, Sofia, and the former Princess of Greece, Irene, the sisters of the late former King Constantine.
Behind them will stand the rest of the family, about 30 people grandchildren, and cousins.
To the left of the family will be the royals, i.e. King Philip of Spain with his wife Letizia, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with Queen Silvia, and the Queen of Denmark Margarita, sister of the wife of the former King Constantine.
