One year on: Light a candle for missing Madeleine McCann, 03 May 2008

One year on: Light a candle for missing Madeleine McCann Daily Mirror   Exclusive by Martin Fricker  03/05/2008   It is exactly one year from that terrible moment when Kate McCann discovered her daughter Madeleine missing from bed.   The anguished mum and husband Gerry are asking everyone to mark the anniversary at 9.15pm by lighting a candle and praying for their four-year-old's safe return.   The McCanns, both 40, believe Madeleine was abducted from their holiday flat at that time.   And well-wishers who light their flame, shine a torch or turn on a porch light between that time and 10pm tonight will touch their hearts.   Kate said yesterday: "Lighting a candle or lantern is a lovely idea.   "We are grateful to everyone who chooses to remember Madeleine at this time." The GP has been dreading the anniversary and added: "It's a difficult day. I think we had underestimated it a little bit. It is probably more significant than we had felt.   "I don't think we'll know until the morning really what feels right."   Tonight Everton, Madeleine's favourite football club, will switch on its floodlights at 9.30pm. A picture of the missing four-year-old shows her in the team's kit.   In the McCanns' home village of Rothley, Leics, candles will be lit in a hotel's grounds. The Helping to Find Madeleine group will release paper lanterns into the sky over the county.   Madeleine's grandmother, Susan Healy, will light a candle at home in Allerton, Liverpool. She said: "We know a lot of people will want to light up the sky for Madeleine. We'll do that in our garden and hope others will do the same ."   The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has kept a candle burning for Madeleine for the last year and has written a special prayer, below, for the anniversary. Kate and Gerry, who remain official suspects in the case, will mark the day privately at home after church.   In Praia da Luz, Portugal - the resort from which Madeleine disappeared - a special service will be held at the church where the parents used to pray daily.   It is titled A Service of Hope, 365 Days Too Long, Madeleine McCann, We Want You Home. Gerry's brother, John, and other relatives will attend the vigil.   Kate has written a message of hope.   Priest Haynes Hubbard, who will lead the service, said: "There are no answers.   "Until Madeleine comes home, all we can do is hold hands, weep and pray." _______________ MADDY'S PRAYER Written by the Archbishop of York Father God, we pray for Madeleine McCann Keep her safe and take away her fear and anxiety May your holy angels guard and protect her We pray that she may be reunited with those who love her Give hope to all her loved ones And hear our cry for her safe return We offer our prayer in the name of the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord. Amen. _______________ RAY OF HOPE IN TOWN.. 1 YEAR ON A candle still burns for Madeleine McCann in Our Lady of the Light church here in Praia da Luz. Lit by an anonymous well-wisher a year ago, it acts as a reminder that the four-year-old is still missing. Outside the church, yellow and green ribbons still hang from an old cypress tree. And pinned to a nearby notice board, a poster of Madeleine has yellowed in the hot Portuguese sun. Within hours of Madeleine's disappearance Luz - as it is known to locals - found itself at the centre of one of the biggest news stories of the past 20 years. Twelve months on life is slowly returning to normal but it has taken its toll. Luz and its 6,000 residents - nearly half of them ex-pats - struggled to cope with the Madeleine case. And as I discovered this week, they are still struggling. Joao Arribanca, from the mayor's office, admitted the town had been changed by Madeleine's disappearance. He said: "I still hope, for the good of many people, that the truth comes out. It shocked the town, greatly." Resort chiefs continue to put on a brave face, insisting bookings are not down. But shopkeepers talk of the "Madeleine effect" hitting trade with fewer tourists. The Rev Haynes Hubbard, who prayed with Kate and Gerry in Portugal, said: "Evil can happen anywhere, and it can be beaten with goodness. Luz will recover, I am sure." Tonight a service will be held at Our Lady of the Light. The people of Luz will then return home - praying Maddy will be found safe.

Madeleine McCann's grandmother: "I'm proud of Kate on this saddest of anniversaries", 03 May 2008

Madeleine McCann's grandmother: "I'm proud of Kate on this saddest of anniversaries" Liverpool Echo   By Paddy Shennan, Liverpool Echo Published: 03 May 2008   MADELEINE McCann’s grandmother today spoke of her pride in daughter Kate as they faced this evening’s first anniversary of the youngster’s disappearance. It was the milestone no-one wanted but in a bid to keep their four-year-old daughter in the headlines, Liverpool-born Kate McCann and husband Gerry put themselves back in the glare of publicity with a series of TV interviews. And Kate’s mother, Susan Healy from Allerton, told the ECHO: "I know the person Kate is. I know how self-effacing and shy she is as a person. She’s been thrust into this public role, but she has carried it out admirably. "I was very pleased that Kate and Gerry were given the platform to say what they wanted to say." "I am just so very, very proud of Kate." A special mass for Madeleine will be held at 6.30pm today at Our Lady of the Annunciation, Bishop Eton, Woolton Road, Childwall. Kate and Gerry were married at the church in December 1998 and it is where Kate’s mum prayed before Madeleine, an IVF baby, was born. Mrs Healy said: "Everyone is welcome. There will be special prayers and songs for Madeleine and the bidding prayers will be read by children." The mass will be taken by parish priest Father Des Keegan. He will be assisted by Father Paul Seddon, the priest who married Kate and Gerry at Bishop Eton and baptised Madeleine at the Holy Name church in Fazakerley. The readings will be given by ministers from local churches. In keeping with the low-key nature of the anniversary, Kate and Gerry are spending the day in Rothley, Leicestershire, with three- year-old twins Sean and Amelie. People are invited to light candles at their own homes this evening. Everton Football Club is to light up the sky for Madeleine by switching on its floodlights between 9.30 and 10pm – the time the youngster went missing. But it is again being stressed that the stadium will remain closed when the gesture is made.

Candle lit vigil for Maddie, 03 May 2008

Candle lit vigil for Maddie The Sun   By VERONICA LORRAINE in Praia da Luz, Additional reporting: MARTIN PHILLIPS Published: Today   KATE and Gerry McCann today attended a church service to mark the one year anniversary of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance. The couple held hands as they walked alongside members of their community to the Anglican Parish Church of St Mary and St John, near their home in Rothley, Leicestershire. Led by the Reverend Rob Gladstone, prayers were said for the four-year-old and other missing children. The family spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said they would not be speaking to the media today, as they wanted to mark the occasion privately. He said: "This is an entirely private church visit for them." Despite countless searches, police appeals, media blitzes and hundreds of false leads, police are no closer to finding her than they were the evening she disappeared. A light went out in the lives of Kate and Gerry McCann that day. And as the nation remembers Maddie on the first anniversary of her disappearance, her heartbroken mother Kate has urged thousands worldwide to shine a light in her memory.   The McCanns’ relatives will lead the tearful tribute by lighting "flames of remembrance" at 9.15pm tonight in their home village of Rothley, Leicestershire, marking the exact time they believe Maddie was snatched from her holiday apartment in the resort.   Kate, 40, said: "We think lighting a candle or lantern is a lovely idea. We are very grateful to everyone who chooses to remember Madeleine this way at this time." A spokesman from the Helping To Find Madeleine charity, which has blitzed Spain, Morocco and Portugal with posters, said: "We plan to light the way home for Madeleine. "Please go outside tonight and light a candle, shine a torch or turn on lanterns for Madeleine." In Rothley, they will be releasing Chinese lanterns to float into the sky. The idea comes from the Chinese Lantern Festival in Taiwan, where people write a wish on the lanterns then release them in the hope their wish will come true. Before darkness falls, Kate and Gerry, 39, are expected to join locals in prayer at the parish church in Rothley.   Since the re-launch of their Find Madeleine campaign, the McCanns have been inundated with letters from all over the world assuring the devastated parents that they and Madeleine will be in people’s prayers on this difficult day. The National Centre For Missing Children In America have also said Maddie, along with all missing children, will be in their thoughts today. Kate said: "It’s a difficult day, but it’s funny in some ways because you kind of think it’s just another day, really. "I think we’ve maybe underestimated it a little bit. It’s probably more significant than we’ve felt. "I don’t think we’ll know until the morning what feels right to do." Gerry added: "This week, and the build- up, has been particularly stressful. So I think we’ll do what’s right for ourselves and Sean and Amelie as well." The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has written a prayer to mark the anniversary. Yesterday he urged the nation to join in its recital. Dr Sentamu said: "A year ago, Madeleine McCann was abducted from her bed in Portugal. "I ask that all of us redouble our efforts to pray for her safe return." Services in Glasgow and Liverpool — Kate and Gerry’s home towns — are also planned while Maddie’s uncle, John McCann, will attend a mass for missing children in Praia da Luz.   The resort’s name means "beach of light" and at the white and yellow church of Our Lady Of Light near the seafront, a message of hope from Kate will be read out and the song Amazing Grace will be sung. There is a poster of the missing youngster in the church, surrounded by candles which will be lit by expats and locals. Anglican priest Father Haynes Hubbard, who prayed with Maddie’s anguished parents after she disappeared, said: "We continue to hold out hope because there is nothing to the contrary. "Until Madeleine comes home the only words we have are words of solidarity and the only thing we can do is hold hands, weep and pray." In Liverpool, a special mass will take place where Kate used to pray before Maddie was born. It will be assisted by Father Paul Seddon, the priest who married Kate and Gerry and later baptised Madeleine. At the time of Maddie’s disappearance he flew out to Portugal to be with the devastated parents. Kate’s mum Susan Healy, 62, said of the anniversary: "Kate wants things to be low-key. Everyone is welcome at the Liverpool service. It will be a mass for Madeleine, with special prayers and songs. "We don’t care if the church is packed out. We will squash everyone in somehow. "There will be tealights there, and we want to light up the sky for Madeleine." In Portugal, nearly half of those quizzed in a recent survey believe Kate and Gerry could have been involved in Madeleine’s disappearance. More than two thirds also believe the Portuguese police have handled the investigation well.   In Rothley, meanwhile, all people want to believe is that Maddie is alive and will one day come home. Tributes were yesterday attached to the railings around the war memorial in the village square, laced with yellow ribbons. One spoke for many with the message: "Spring has sprung again but there’s still one sweet little flower we’re waiting for."

Madeleine: Thank you for all your support, says Kate in church as McCanns mark first anniversary of disappearance, 03 May 2008

Madeleine: Thank you for all your support, says Kate in church as McCanns mark first anniversary of disappearance Daily Mail   Last updated at 15:55pm on 3rd May 2008    Kate McCann thanked her local community for their support today during a church service to mark the anniversary of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance.   Mrs McCann stood up during the 30-minute service at the Anglican parish church of St Mary and St John, in Rothley, Leicestershire, and expressed her gratitude to the congregation.   She thanked everyone for praying for the four-year-old and for supporting the family over the year since she vanished in Portugal.   Mrs McCann and her husband Gerry left holding hands and clutching bunches of flowers.   Led by the Reverend Rob Gladstone, prayers were said for Madeleine and for other missing children during the special service.   Speaking afterwards on behalf of the family, Madeleine's great uncle, Brian Kennedy, said: "We would like to thank all the members of the churches here in Rothley and also those who are of no particular church for joining us today to remember the world's missing children and especially, of course, our own Madeleine.   "This is a difficult week and we have had many kind messages from residents here and from around the country which have been a great help.   "We have invited people of all the many faiths here to pray for these children and their families in their own places of worship on the various days they keep and we would like them to know how much their prayers are appreciated."   He described the service as "uplifting" and said he thought it had been helpful and comforting to Kate and Gerry.   Mr Kennedy's wife, Janet, said: "We wanted it to be a service not just for Madeleine but for missing children all over the world."   Speaking about Kate's decision to speak in the church, she said: "I am not sure how she mustered the strength to do so." But she added that the service " was a great comfort to them both".   Ministers from a number of churches joined in the service today.   The same prayer said at the service for Madeleine six months after her disappearance was repeated again today, and a poem about courage was read.   Leaflets were also given out at the service explaining how to help the McCanns campaign for an EU-wide child alert system.   Well-wishers from all over the local area, and further afield, gathered at the church today.   Connor Ward cycled from his home in Northern Ireland to Rothley to be at the service, and to raise awareness of the search for Madeleine.   Mr Ward said: "The service was very moving. It was quite emotional for everyone."   Speaking about Kate, he said: "She seemed very strong. I am very surprised that she spoke but it was brilliant that she did."   Supporters around the world will tonight mark the first anniversary of her disappearance by lighting candles and saying prayers.   The little girl vanished from her bed in her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, southern Portugal, at around 9.15pm on May 3 last year.   People are being asked to light candles, shine torches or turn on a porch lamp between 9.30pm and 10pm tonight to symbolise the period when she went missing.   Everton, Madeleine's favourite football team, will join the campaign to "light the way home" for the little girl by switching on the floodlights at its Goodison Park ground at this time.   Everton's chief executive, Keith Wyness, said: "The message being sent out is a simple one. The search must go on."   Their lawyers have advised Mr and Mrs McCann not to return to Portugal because they remain arguidos, or formal suspects, in their daughter's disappearance.   Instead a number of relatives - Mr McCann's brother John, his sister Trish Cameron, her husband Sandy, and Mrs McCann's cousin Michael Wright - have travelled to Praia da Luz on their behalf.   John McCann said the trauma of their time in Praia da Luz had also persuaded Madeleine's parents to stay in England.   "Gerry and Kate under ideal circumstances would have been here, but they have had a very busy schedule this week and they felt that given the day that it is, they would take a quiet time and spend time with Sean and Amelie and with a very close group of friends around their home."   He added: "They had a lovely holiday until Madeleine was taken.   "They had fantastic support from the people of Luz and from many different parts of Portugal.   "And yet associated with Praia da Luz is a lot of pain, a lot of emotional turmoil, and it is a hard time for them.   "On the balance of things they thought the best thing to do was to stay at home and look after the two children that remain with them."   They were attending a service in the Algarve village's church of Nossa Senhora da Luz (Our Lady of Light) at 6.30pm tonight, where a message from Mrs McCann will be read out.   A special mass at Liverpool's Our Lady of the Annunciation church was being led by Father Paul Seddon, who married the McCanns and baptised Madeleine.   Portugal's top detective insisted today that police were still gathering evidence in the case following reports that officers were on the verge of exonerating the McCanns.   Alipio Ribeiro, national director of the Policia Judiciaria (PJ), told Portugal's Lusa news agency that officials had not decided whether to bring charges or drop the investigation.   He said: "At this stage nothing has been determined regarding possible charges or closing the case.   "The PJ continues to gather and analyse all available evidence."   The Portuguese weekly magazine Expresso reported on its website that the PJ were preparing to drop the accusations against the McCanns.   Madeleine was three when she vanished from the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz while her parents dined with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.   Today's anniversary has attracted words of support from senior clergy and experts in missing people.   The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, wrote a special prayer for Madeleine McCann and urged everyone to redouble their efforts to pray for her safe return.

BBC News - 2 video clips, Murat's lawyer speaks on 2nd clip, 03 May 2008

Madeleine vigil in Portugal   Page last updated at 16:38 GMT, Saturday, 3 May 2008 17:38 UK    The uncle of missing Madeleine McCann has returned to the Portuguese town where she vanished a year ago. John McCann and other members of the extended family handed out badges and posters to appeal for information. Watch BBC News video clip (01:31)   McCann prayers on anniversary   Page last updated at 18:19 GMT, Friday, 2 May 2008 19:19 UK   The family of Madeleine McCann have been marking a year since her disappearance at church services in Portugal and the UK. Steve Kingstone reports. Watch BBC News video clip (01:51)

	Anger Over 'Grotesque' Madeleine Doll, 03 May 2008
	Anger Over 'Grotesque' Madeleine Doll Sky News