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Prayers for Nelson Mandela

Daniel Pelz (AP, AFP)June 15, 2013

South African bishops held a prayer vigil on Friday outside the Pretoria hospital where former President Nelson Mandela is being treated. There was no update on his condition.

https://p.dw.com/p/18qN5
Bishops pray in front of the hospital where Nelson Mandela has been admitted.
Image: Reuters

South Africans gathered to pray for Nelson Mandela Friday, as the South African freedom hero market almost one week in hospital.

Mandela, 94, was admitted to a hospital in Pretoria last Saturday (08.06.2013) to receive treatment for a recurring lung infection.

On Friday (14.06.2013), a dozen South African bishops held a prayer vigil outside the hospital. "Thank you (God) for the speedy recovery of Nelson Mandela", AFP news agency quoted Bishop Abraham Sibiya of the Christ Centred Church Episcopal Soshanguve.

The clerics, sporting flowing purple robes and white collars stood hand-in-hand to say prayers for Mandela.

Bishop Sibiya told AFP that church leaders had come out in response to a call by South African President Jacob Zuma to pray for "Madiba," as he is fondly known in the country.

At his home village Qunu, schoolchildren sang in his honor.

President Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj told AFP news agency on Friday that he had no update on Mandela' condition. On Thursday, Zuma had visited Mandela and later said that he remained in a serious condition.

We regret that due to a technical error, DW earlier published a report claiming that Nelson Mandela had died.

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