Britain marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of 19th century nursing pioneer, Florence Nightingale on Tuesday with a series of online and other events.
Westminster Abbey held a celebratory service for Nightingale, decorating the church in blue in tribute to British National Health Service nurses who are treating people infected with the novel coronavirus.
“It is a special occasion, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale,” said David Hoyle, the dean of Westminster.
“We know, however, that nursing staff face a daily challenge and indeed, in the abbey we pray for them daily,” Hoyle said.
The World Health Organisation and nursing organizations also marked the anniversary as International Nurses Day.
Nightingale, who trained as a nurse in Germany, became famous in her own lifetime after braving appalling conditions to care for soldiers injured in the 1854-56 Crimean War.
Britain’s National Army Museum said she “set the standards for modern nursing.”
“For the rest of her life [after Crimea], she continued to campaign for improved sanitary conditions in both military and civilian hospitals,” the museum said.
Hundreds of nurses normally attend Westminster Abbey’s annual service honouring Nightingale, who died in 1910, featuring her trademark “Nightingale lamp.”
More than 100 British nurses, doctors and other health staff have died after COVID-19 infections.
The government has named several new COVID-19 hospitals in London and other cities after Nightingale.
