Emotions run high at Maria Golovnina memorial

Many had flown to London just to attend the service. They came from all over the world: Algeria, Tunisia, Pakistan, Egypt, North America, Georgia, Central Asia, continental Europe, Russia and elsewhere.

You will see from this recording how high emotions are running, Louise Ireland writes. Grief over Maria's death in Islamabad on 23 February and the expressions of love you will hear thickened the air in St Bride’s, the journalists’ church in Fleet Street. That cannot quite be captured in a recording but you will get some of the flavour.

The rector of St Bride’s, Alison Joyce, said: “The sudden and unexpected death of Maria Golovnina has been devastating for all who knew her because she was a woman who was so full of life, so extraordinarily gifted, so courageous and with so much still to live for. The circumstances of her death inevitably leave us with questions about why it happened and whether more could and should have been done. These questions are important and real and yet at this service our task is a different one, because we are here this evening to focus on Maria herself, to honour her memory, to celebrate her life and to give thanks for all that she has meant to us and all that she was.”

The St Bride's choir sang an eclectic mix of pieces, reflecting Maria’s catholic tastes: Red Dragonfly in Japanese, Katyusha and Sviridov's Sacred Love in Russian, Papageno! from Mozart's Magic Flute in German and Lacrimosa from his Requiem.

Michael Georgy, Reuters Cairo bureau chief, spoke about Maria's brilliant career and her inspirational, warm and witty personality. He also referred to the close bond they formed after discovering they both suffered from depressive illness and how they supported each other through the toughest of times.

Oliver Bullough, a friend and former colleague in Moscow, told of her love of life, of people and of all the world has to offer. He spoke of her horrific experiences reporting from Libya and how that had haunted even his own dreams.

Meg Clothier, a friend and former Moscow bureau colleague, read Giraffe by Nikolai Gumilev in English, and Natalia Antelava, a friend and fellow journalist from Maria's time in Kazakhstan, read the poem in Russian.

Digby Lidstone, Maria's partner, read To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell.

Two colleagues - Peter Graff from the London editing desk and Katharine Houreld from the Islamabad bureau, who found Maria on the day she died and tried valiantly to save her - read excerpts from Maria’s stories.

Natsuko Waki, a fellow Reuters trainee with Maria in Tokyo 15 years ago, read from Corinthians.

We took over the first floor of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub after the service and spent a few hours swapping stories of Maria's exploits both at work and at play.

We love and miss Maria beyond any expression. This service was our tribute to a larger-than-life friend, colleague, daughter and partner. It tells only a tiny fraction of her story.

VIDEO Maria Golovnina memorial service ■