10 days of mourning begin today ahead of the funeral to be held on September 15. At least 150 thousand people visit the Gapyeong complex, where an altar has been set up with a giant picture of the "Messiah" as a young man. Roses and lilies left by people visiting. Presence of a delegation from Pyongyang at funeral excluded.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Thousands of people in tears, visibly mourning, visited today the headquarters of South Korean Unification Church to pay homage and pray for their "messiah", the Reverend Sun Myung Moon who died September 3 due to complications resulting from pneumonia. Men and women dressed in black thronged the main structure of the Gapyeong complex about 60 km east of Seoul, for the first of 10 days of mourning ahead of the funeral that will be held on September 15.

From early morning bus loads of faithful arrived at the Gapyeong mountain range, in which a special altar has been set up with a giant picture of a young Reverend Moon (pictured). People have offered roses and lilies, the favorite flowers of the supreme leader and founder of the Unification Church.

An estimated 150 thousand people, these days, will visit the headquarters of the church for a final farewell to their spiritual leader, who died at the age of 92, among them there will be South Koreans and foreigners, including many Japanese . The main altar was decorated with the flags of South Korea, Japan and the United States.

Floral tributes were sent by different personalities from the world of politics and culture, including President Lee Myung-bak. In recent days the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had sent a message of condolence on the death of Reverend Moon, known for his mass weddings and unscrupulous business empire, ranging from cars to sushi. In the last hours rumors have emerged of the possible presence of a delegation to Pyongyang at the funeral, news that was denied today by senior officials, given that the Northern regime is still "displeased" by the recent joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington.

And while the faithful shed tears for the death of their "messiah", the focus is on the future of the Unification Church, which is now run by his youngest son Hyung Jin Moon. Meanwhile, Bo Hi Pak, the closest collaborator of the Reverend, invited members of the sect to "walk behind his two sons and his wife" to bring forward "the legacy of the founder."

Born in 1920 in the Pyongan, now North Korea, at the age of 15 Moon claimed he was called to be the new Messiah to conclude the work of Jesus Christ, that had remained unfinished after his crucifixion.  He was expelled from the Presbyterian Church because of these views. But in 1954, he escaped from North Korea and founded the Unification Church based in Seoul. He and his members (called "Moon") wanted to build a world of peace. For this reason he made couples of different races and cultures marry each other and raising money for this everywhere, calling his members - especially young people - "missionaries".

Very often parents and friends of members of his sect accused him, in court, of manipulating the minds of young people, to exploit them for work and to take possession of their wealth. According to figures provided by the organization, the Unification Church has three million followers and has sent missionaries to 194 countries. But former members and critics say that there are no more than 100 thousand Moon in the world.

 

• korea
• unification
• church
• moon
• funeral
• mourning