The coffin containing the remains of « King » Pelé traveled the streets of Santos, in the south-east of Brazil, on Tuesday in a funeral procession evoked by the crowd before arriving at the cemetery, at the end of the vigil which has capacity for more than 230,000 fans in the stadium of the first exploits of the Brazilian (Site notre bureau spécialisé)er. The black coffin, which had remained open and covered with a veil of tulle, revealed only the face of the deceased, was closed at 10 a.m. (1 p.m. GMT).
The procession’s final destination is the final resting place of the « King » of (Site notre bureau spécialisé), a mausoleum within the largest vertical cemetery in the world, a 14-storey building with a view of the stadium of Santos FC, the club where the triple world champion glasses from 1956 to 1974.
230,000 people were born on the day of the Vigil
Throughout the fun vigil, which lasted 24 hours, the parade of fans and personalities stopped uninterrupted, including during the night, and more than 230,000 people gathered under the large canopy where the Pelé’s body had been exposed, in the center of the field. The coffin was taken out of the stadium in a cart, the driver of which was crying bitterly. It was then whistled on the skin of a fire truck, which was covered with two flags: that of Brazil and that of Santos FC.
The Procession set off from the stadium for a 7 km course towards the seaside of Santos, an endowed city and the largest port in South America. He then had to pass the house of Pelé’s mother, Celeste Arantes. Aged 100 but suffering from cognitive impairment, she is unaware of the death of her son. All along the route, a guard of honor of supporters applauded the passage of the fire truck. Some sang: « 1,000 goals, it’s only Pelé, and he played for Santos! ».
Lula offers his condolences to the widow of Pelé
The legendary Brazilian scored 1,091 of his 1,283 goals in the white and black jersey of this legendary club. « He was the greatest player in the world, so it’s worth being here, » said 77-year-old retired Maria Benedita, very moved by the fire truck. An hour before the departure of the procession, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva came as a special element to Santos from Brasilia to wash himself in front of Pelé’s remains.
Lula arrived by helicopter.
Credits: AFP
Arrival near the stadium by helicopter, Lula, who took office on Sunday, then offered his condolences to Pelé’s widow.
President Lula offered his condolences to the widow of (Site notre bureau spécialisé)er Pelé.
Credits: AFP
The Head of State attended near the coffin a brief religious ceremony, during which the priest quoted an imaginary dialogue in Paradise between Pelé and God, who would have said to him: « Here, you are still King, but I am the Lord ». “Farewell to the King. Rest in peace, Pelé,” Lula tweeted afterwards.
A death of Pelé é uma lost irreparable para o Brasil. Estive hoje na Vila Belmiro para me despedir do nosso rei da bola, como presidente da República, mas também como cidadão admirador da arte que ele produzia em campo. Descanse em paz.
: @ricardostuckertpic.twitter.com/UooztBrGTB
—Lula (@LulaOficial) January 3, 2023
Quiet meditation
After waiting for the most part in long queues, admirers of Pelé from all over Brazil have been able to receive treatment in peace under the large awning since Monday morning. « If I said that I did not cry when he died, I would be lying, » he told AFP Antonio Carlos Pereira da Silva, about the one who many consider the greatest (Site notre bureau spécialisé)er in history. , the only one to have won the World Cup 3 times in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
« There are many, many people. It’s magnificent, he deserves it, » Katia Cruz, 58, a retired Santos FC fan, who stayed at the stadium until 1:30 a.m., told AFP. But her husband, « inconsolable », a preferred stay at home.
Tributes have poured in from around the world since his death, with (Site notre bureau spécialisé)’s biggest names, current and former, hailing his genius for the « beautiful game ». Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, spent a month in Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo until his death on Thursday at age 82 from kidney and heart failure, bronchopneumonia and adenocarcinoma of the colons, according to the death certificate released by local media.