Hundreds paid tribute to Rosa Parks on Sunday, only weeks before the 50th anniversary of the day she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man and helped give a push to the civil rights movement.
At St. Paul A.M.E. (African-Methodist-Episcopal) Church in Montgomery, Ala., where Parks was once a member, hundreds lay roses around the casket of the civil rights icon who died last Monday at the age of 92. A separate wing was opened for the overflow crowd and hundreds more mourned outside.
"I firmly believe God puts different people in different parts of history so great things can happen," said Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, according to the Associated Press. "I think Rosa Parks is one of those people."
"She was a gentle giant," said Martin Luther King III, whose father – the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – led the 381-day boycott of Montgomery’s bus system after Parks arrest in 1955 for her refusal to give up her bus seat.
According to Parks' book, Quiet Strength, the source behind the bold act that changed the course of American history was her belief in God.
"Since I have always been a strong believer in God, I knew that He was with me, and only He could get me through that next step," the late-Parks stated.
In a statement released the Tuesday after Parks’ death, the National Council of Churches described Parks as “a powerful witness to all of us who believe that one person can make a difference and she will forever be remembered for her quiet resolve."
"We will forever be grateful for the gift of her life and the legacy she leaves us all to hold fast to our beliefs," the NCC added.
As a mark of respect for the memory of Parks, President George W. Bush issued a proclamation on Sunday, ordering the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff over all public buildings Wednesday, the day of Parks' funeral and burial in Detroit.
Later that night, the president and congressional leaders gathered for a brief ceremony, listening as members of Baltimore's Morgan State University choir sang The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Parks, whom Bush earlier described as "one of the most inspiring women of the 20th century," became the first woman to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, sharing the tribute bestowed upon Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and other national leaders.
According to the Associated Press, tributes to Parks will continue through Wednesday. A schedule of events is as follows (all times ET):
In Washington:
7 p.m.-midnight Sunday: Viewing, Capitol Rotunda.
7-10 a.m. Monday: Viewing, Capitol Rotunda.
1-2 p.m. Monday: Public memorial service, Historical Metropolitan AME Church.
In Detroit:
9 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Wednesday: Viewing, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
11 a.m. Wednesday: Funeral, Greater Grace Temple.
Joseph Alvarez
Christian Today Correspondent