Haji Daoud Nabi's final words were ones of kindness directed at his killer.
"Hello, brother," he offered as a welcome to the stranger who had not come to pray at Masjid al Noor on Friday, but to terrorise.
Mourners gathered on Thursday afternoon to farewell the 71-year-old father and grandfather who was among the first victims in the New Zealand mosque terror attacks.
The crowd swelled to more than 1000 mourners as he became the sixth of eight victims buried on Thursday, following another six burials on Wednesday.
His kindness was remembered by the large number of family members who prayed and carried his body above their heads to his gravesite.
Hundreds of other community members backed them in support.
"We will support them. We're all here to help each other," a man leading the prayers told the gathered crowd throughout the day.
One man carried a large sign bearing the words "Peace. Unity. Hello Brother" with alongside a photo of Mr Nabi and a peace symbol.
A young girl carried a large portrait of Mr Nabi as a young man.
The hearse carrying his body was flanked by roaring motorbikes as it arrived at the Memorial Park Cemetery where most of the dead will be laid to rest.
Sounds of a haka rang out over the large crowd in a tribute to the man who had lived in New Zealand for four decades and loved cars, motorcycles and travel.
He fled his homeland Afghanistan in 1979 during the Soviet-Afghan war.
Schoolchildren from Cashmere High School were among Thursday's mourners to farewell their 14-year-old schoolmate Sayyad Ahmad Milne, a day after the burial of another friend, 15-year-old Hamza Mustafa.
A third teen, 17-year-old Muhammad Haziq Mohd-Tarmizi, was buried only hours after being officially identified as a victim of the attacks.
Families are now able to have the bodies returned for burial after authorities finished the autopsies and identification of all 50 victims on Thursday.
Funerals have also been held in Auckland, including for father of five Haji Hafiz Musa Patel, who had been visiting friends in Christchurch with his wife.
Australian Associated Press
