Hundreds of people queued on Monday to pay their last respects to Sir Edmund Hillary, the conqueror of Mount Qomolangma, whose body was lying in state on Monday following a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony at Auckland's Holy Trinity Cathedral, media reports said Monday.
Sir Edmund, the first person along with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay to climb the world's highest peak in 1953, died of heart attack on Jan. 11 at the age of 88.
Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mount Qomolangma, makes a speech during the 50th Anniversary celebration at Scott Base in Antarctica in this Jan. 20, 2007 photo. Hillary, who along with Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first to conquer Mount Qomolangma, has died, Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Friday. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) The two days of commemorations began on Monday morning when Sir Edmund's casket arrived at the Parnell Cathedral. He will lie there until Tuesday morning when his body is moved to the adjacent church for his funeral service.
As a great explorer, Hillary led a number of expeditions after Qomolangma. In 1958, he and four companions traveled overland in three modified tractors to become the first to reach the South Pole by vehicle.
But most of his energy was devoted to helping Nepal's Sherpa people. His Himalaya Trust raised about 250,000 U.S. dollars a year, building 26 schools, two hospitals, an airport and providing scholarships for Sherpa children.
"Many people there are educated because of Sir Ed, otherwise that would not have been possible," said mourner Dr. Sanat Dhungel, former director general of Nepal's wildlife department.
In 2003, Hillary received honorary Nepali citizenship in recognition of his services to the people and the Solukhumbhu region, where Mount Qomolangma is located.
Source: Xinhua/Agencies
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