The bodies of Bahamas Faith Ministries (BFM) founder Myles Munroe and his wife Ruth will be in a closed casket at their memorial service next Wednesday.

The lives of the couple, who died with seven others in a plane crash on November 9, will be celebrated at a national memorial event at the Thomas Robinson Stadium in the Bahamas. Many thousands are expected to attend.

However, BFM spokesman Kevin Harris told The Christian Post that they would not be able to view the bodies out of respect for the family, who decided not to have open caskets after identifying the bodies. "They were IDed by all the family members, and all the family have confirmed that there will be a closed casket ceremony," said Harris.

Funeral or "Home Going" services have begun, with First Officer Frakhan Cooper's last Saturday. A memorial service for the Parks family – youth pastors Lavard and Radel Parks, their son Johanan Parks and their unborn child – takes place tomorrow, with their funeral on Friday.

The Munroes' children have said that they will attend the memorial services for all the victims of the crash, which has devastated both the Christian and the wider community in the Bahamas.

Myles Munroe was 60 years old when he died, an inspirational speaker who was the author of more than 100 books. All nine people on board the plane died when it hit a crane in a shipyard as it was attempting to land. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, said of him:  "Myles Munroe breathed, lived and died expanding the kingdom of God. His passion for Christ made him a true ambassador of grace and righteousness."