SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Thousands of mourners began lining up Monday morning to pay their final respects to Russell M. Nelson, the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who died on Sept. 27 at the age of 101.
The public viewing started at 9 a.m. and is being held in the Hall of the Prophets on the third floor of the Conference Center on Temple Square. Nelson’s body is lying in repose in an open casket in the hall, which is lined with bronze busts of the faith’s past presidents.
Nelson, the church’s 17th prophet, led the global faith for more than seven years. Since the death of President Gordon B. Hinckley in 2008, public viewings for church presidents have been held in the Conference Center, a facility built during Hinckley’s tenure.
The viewing precedes the formal funeral service, which will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7, at noon in the Conference Center. The funeral will be broadcast live on the Church’s media channels and locally on News Talk KVNU, 102.1FM/610AM, along with streaming on kvnutalk.com and the KVNU mobile phone.
Nelson’s death occurred just one week before the church’s biannual General Conference, which concluded Sunday. His successor, expected to be Dallin H. Oaks, will be formally announced following the funeral service, adhering to the church’s established leadership hierarchy.