Organ music, choral singing and a cello suite filled the church hall with tones from Johann Sebastian Bach, a prayer in Swedish and English was read of man's duty to make the world a better place, and Hans Ulfvebrand reminded of the importance of remembering those who died.

- Remembering a human is a love act. I think it's incredibly important that we get together just in mourning and despair and worry, Ulfvebrand told TT just before the ceremony.

A total of 176 people were killed when a Ukrainian passenger aircraft was shot down after taking off from the airport in Iran's capital Tehran on January 8. Of the victims, 17 were from Sweden.

- What has happened is terrible. If it had been close to me, I would have been completely upset and abandoned, Ulfvebrand said.

Ministers on site

Stefan Löfven (S) and Crown Princess Victoria started the candle lighting, and soon a queue was formed through the altar aisle when many of the visitors got up to light a candle.

"To light a candle, to send another person a thought, is a prayer in my eyes," said the magistrate Hans Ulfvebrand.

There were several ministers on the scene, including Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S) and the MP-language pipeline and Finance and Housing Minister Per Bolund.

M leader: "Obviously financial compensation is required"

Opposition leader Ulf Kristersson (M) also participated in the ceremony.

"To honor those who perished and their families, and to show that there are very many in Sweden who think of them," said Kristersson.

The Moderate leader says he thinks there should be a demand for compensation from Iran.

- Everyone understands that financial compensation can never replace human life, but of course, significant financial compensation is required for the families who have been affected by this terrible.