Celebration of Life Events Announced for Congressman John Lewis

The family of civil rights icon and congressman John Lewis has released details of the Celebration of Life ceremonies that are set to begin Saturday in Troy.

A service celebrating “The Boy from Troy” will be held on the campus of Troy University inside Trojan Arena at 10:00AM Saturday. The ceremony is open to the public, but seating is limited.

Rep. Lewis will then lie in repose at Trojan Arena from 11:00AM-2:00PM. This is also open to the public.  Attendees will be required to wear face masks at both events.

After, a ceremony will be held at Selma’s Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church from 6:00PM-8:00PM. Given COVID-19 precautions, this event is closed to the public.

Rep. Lewis will then lie in repose at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church from 8:00PM-11:00PM. This is open to the public and attendees will be required to wear proper face coverings.

On Sunday, Rep. John Lewis will cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge one last time at 10:00AM. The public is invited to view the processional from Brown Chapel A.M.E Church to the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Shortly after, the body of Rep. Lewis will be taken to the Alabama State Capitol where it will lie in state from 3:00PM-7:00PM. This is open to the public and attendees will be required to wear proper face coverings.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed will host a vigil to honor Lewis Sunday at 7 p.m. It will take place at Bicentennial Park, located at the corner of S. Bainbridge Street and Dexter Avenue. Scheduled speakers include educator and activist Joe L. Reed, attorney Fred Gray and Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mayor Reed and community leaders ask the public to join them at 1 p.m. as they line the sidewalks on Dexter Avenue to greet the arrival of Congressman Lewis’ procession along the last leg of the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights Trail.

Participants for all events must follow all state and city health orders, including the mask and face covering mandates as well as social distancing protocols.

Rep. Lewis’s body will return to Washington, D.C. Monday morning where it will lie in state at the United States Capitol.

The congressman’s Celebration of Life service will be held in Atlanta at Ebenezer Baptist Church Thursday followed by his burial at South-View Cemetery in Atlanta.

In light of the pandemic, the family encourages Congressman Lewis’s supporters to organize John Lewis Virtual Love Events in their homes to watch the ceremonies.  The events will be livestreamed on multiple platforms.

The public is also encouraged to tie a blue or purple ribbon on their front doors or in their front yards to commemorate his life. They can post video, photos, songs, or any kind of virtual tribute to Rep. Lewis at #BelovedCommunity or #HumanDignity or leave a written tribute at www.theJohnLewisLegacy.com.

Congressman Lewis died last Friday after battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was 80 years old.

Stay with Alabama News Network for complete coverage of these events.