Christchurch's normally bustling Cathedral Square was silent on Thursday as people paid their respects to workers killed in explosions at the Pike River Coal mine.
The only sound was the ringing of the Cathedral bells.
In a cafe near the square there were notes on every table - a reminder to customers to observe two minutes of silence to honour the 29 men who were killed on 19 November.
As the singing of the Christ College choir faded, market stall vendors, shoppers and tourists paused and stood in silence facing the Cathedral.
Buses and trams stopped, and construction teams repairing damage caused by the big earthquake in September put down their hammers in a mark of respect for the families who have lost their loved-ones.
