Last path for victims

Day of mourning in Villach: The painful farewell

Countless mourners stood by the family on such a difficult day - and said goodbye to Alexander.(Bild: Klaus Loibnegger)

A sea of candles and white roses - family and countless mourners accompanied Alexander (14) on his last journey at a moving ceremony in Villach on Saturday.

"Your love was like sunshine, you will be with us forever" - this was one of the moving messages that Alexander was given on his last journey. It seems to have been no coincidence that the sun shone down from a cloudless sky over the pilgrimage church in Villach on such a dark day.

Countless mourners made their way to Maria Gail on Saturday to support Alexander's family on such a difficult day - and to say goodbye to their loving friend and parishioner with candles and a sea of white roses.

A week ago, the 14-year-old was ripped from his young, happy and love-filled life in an unimaginably devastating way.

While plainclothes officers provided security in and around the church, their uniformed colleagues kept a low profile.(Bild: Klaus Loibnegger)

The police secured the funeral ceremony from the air using a drone.(Bild: Klaus Loibnegger)

Countless mourners bid farewell in the Maria Gail pilgrimage church.(Bild: Klaus Loibnegger)

But there was no room for hatred and anger on this day - tears, a feeling of powerlessness and pain-filled grief were overwhelming, memories of the cheerful young man were omnipresent. After a touching mass, Alexander was laid to rest surrounded by his loved ones. Despite the sunshine, it was a dark day for Villach, Carinthia and the whole of Austria.

Protection on the ground and from the air
The police provided "invisible" protection for the moving funeral ceremony and the guests - in civilian clothes in and around the pilgrimage church "Zu unserer lieben Frau", uniformed from the background and at a distance, as well as by drone from the air.