Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong laid to rest in Hanoi

A memorial ceremony was held the National Funeral Home on Tran Thanh Tong Street at 1 p.m. Friday, the second day of the two-day state funeral, before the Party leader’s casket was driven around many streets in Hanoi to the cemetery.

President To Lam delivered a eulogy at the ceremony, praising the General Secretary as "an exceptionally outstanding leader" and stating that his passing is "an immense, irreparable loss" to the Party, the nation, and the people.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's casket is carried out of the National Funeral Home to be driven to Mai Dich Cemetery in Hanoi, July 26, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Vietnamese officials, former officials and foreign guests at the ceremony paid respects to the leader before solemn rituals were performed to carry his casket out of the funeral home and onto the streets.

Ngo Thi Man, wife of Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, President To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly chairman Tran Thanh Man, Permanent Member of the Secretariat Luong Cuong closely followed the vehicle carrying the late leader's casket.

Ngo Thi Man (2nd, L), wife of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, stand with Vietnamese leaders, former leaders and foreign guests behind the Party leader's casket outside the National Funeral Home in Hanoi, July 26, 2024. Photo by Thong tin Chinh phu

The hearse drove past many streets of Hanoi as thousands of people stood along the roads, waving goodbye to the late leader, many of them in tears.

The funeral envoy arrived at Mai Dich Cemetery at 3 p.m. The casket was lowered into the ground, fresh wreaths were laid on top of the grave, before all family members and delegates took a minute of silence, and walked around the grave to bid a final farewell to the late leader.

People burn incense to bid final farewell to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at Mai Dich Cemetery in Hanoi, July 26, 2024. Photo by VNA

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong passed away on July 19 in Hanoi after a long period of illness, at the age of 80.

During the state funeral on Thursday to Friday, around 6,000 delegations from within Vietnam, about 100 foreign delegations and 200,000 citizens have come to pay tribute to the Party leader at the National Funeral Home in Hanoi, the Reunification Palace in HCMC and his hometown in Dong Hoi Commune in Hanoi's Dong Anh District, according to the funeral's organization board.