U.S. President Barack Obama led the crowd in singing "Amazing Grace" during his eulogy at the funeral of Sen. Clementa Pickney at South Carolina on Friday, Huffington Post reports.
The South Carolina state senator and church pastor was among the nine people who were shot to death during a bible study inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17.
Now referred by attendees as the "Reverend President," Obama delivered a moving speech in honor of the "People so full of life and so full of kindness, people who ran the race and persevered, people of great faith."
"To the families of the fallen, the nation shares in your grief," he added.
America's first black president also mentioned the suspect, 21-year-old Dylann Roof, saying he was "blinded by hatred" and was ignorant about what "Rev. Pinckney so well understood -- the power of God's grace."
He then started singing the gospel song, "Amazing Grace" and led the crowd to stand up, raise hands and join him in singing, after he spoke about finding, believing and tapping to that grace to make all things - including change possible.
As the crowd sang along, Obama had a spiritual leader moment, honoring each of the victims saying, "Clementa Pinckney found that grace. Cynthia Hurd found that grace. Susie Jackson found that grace. Ethel Lance found that grace. DePayne Middleton-Doctor that grace. Tywanza Sanders found that grace. Daniel L. Simmons Sr. found that grace. Sharonda Singleton found that grace. Myra Thompson found that grace."
He then added that these people have passed on to us what they have believed in. "May we find ourselves worthy of that precious and extraordinary gift as long as our lives endure. May grace now lead them home. May God continue to shed his grace on the United States of America."
