Liverpool club chaplain Bill Bygroves discussed grief and sent an emotional message of support after Diogo Jota's tragic death
Liverpool club chaplain Bill Bygroves paid a glowing tribute to Diogo Jota outside Anfield
Liverpool club chaplain Bill Bygroves paid a glowing tribute to Diogo Jota outside Anfield
(Image: LFCTV)
Liverpool's club chaplain Bill Bygroves paid a stunning tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva after their tragic deaths in a car accident last week. Jota's death has led to an outpouring of grief from across the football world.
Jota was laid to rest in a funeral in Portugal on Saturday, with many of his team-mates and friends in attendance. Meanwhile, flowers and tributes have been left outside Anfield, with the club opening a book of condolences for supporters to sign either in person or online. That will remain open until 8pm this evening (July 8).
The club also aired a special tribute show on LFCTV, with contributions from club legends, fans and the ECHO's own Paul Gorst.
And the club's chaplain says Liverpool will take comfort from the club's mantra of You'll Never Walk Alone as they continue to process and grieve Jota's passing.
He said: "The sudden and traumatic nature of the news that we heard took us all time to just even process, never mind empathize and sympathize with.
"And of course, grief is a process and we've got to allow people time for that process
"Of course tears are involved in that. It's bad psychology and bad theology to bottle everything up. So there must be the outpouring of grief. And that takes time too.
"And allowing the family to grieve with dignity and to allow the family to just begin that process is so vitally important.
"Incidentally, speaking about the fact that we sing, You'll Never Walk Alone, that is an enormous comfort to so many, isn't it?
"We hear it sung as an anthem, or as a battle cry on match day. But of course, at the Hillsborough services, we hear it's sung as a prayer. And people can identify and empathize and sympathize with folk going through such trauma."
Asked about the display of support from fans in the wake of Jota's death while standing beside the tributes laid at Anfield, Bygroves added: "There's like a blanket of love here. And that shows the empathy and sympathy that is being displayed by our city and others beyond our city. Because of course, in one way or another, we can all identify somehow with grief.
"But when it comes like this, so traumatic and devastating, it touches all of our hearts. I think folk just want to show to the family how much we care and how much we love and that they are in our thoughts and prayers continually.
"You do need time, that's important. You do need tears, tears are the safety valves of the heart when too much pressure is on it. They are like liquid prayers, they say things we haven't got the words for. Treasuring memories, keeping them locked in your heart. Precious memories and allowing them to grieve in their own way and their own time.
"It's allowing people to express their love for the family. This club has had to deal with Hysel, had to deal with Hillsborough. This city knows how to grieve. To express their oneness with the family at this time is so vitally important."
And finally, in a special message to Jota's family, Bygroves promised that they would remain in Liverpool's prayers as they come to terms with the devastating news.
He said: "On behalf of our club, to the family we wish to express our most sincere and deepest sympathy and condolences to you all. We promise you that you are and will remain in our thoughts and prayers..
"Remember there's a verse in the bible that says I will never leave you or forsake you, which if you say it backwards is, you forsake or you leave never will I. And when Diogo sang that song, You'll Never Walk Alone at the end of the season, I had the privilege of saying to the players before that then remember, when our hand is in his, you don't walk alone, we don't die alone, we don't enter eternity alone. May that comfort your heart."