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It鈥檚 hard to imagine another place in space-time where A-list celebrities and physicists would collide so powerfully. But no other scientist has a gravitational pull like Stephen Hawking and this was the service of thanksgiving for his life and work at Westminster Abbey in London last Friday.

Guests from the world of showbusiness mixed with politicians, technology entrepreneurs, school children and Hawking鈥檚 collaborators from physics and the charitable sector. Musician Nile Rogers, actor Benedict Cumberbatch and astronaut Tim Peake, who both gave readings, Silicon Valley philanthropist Yuri Milner and A-list scientists Lisa Randall, Demis Hassabis were among over 1000 guests.

No one has done more than Hawking to advance our understanding of space, time and gravity since Einstein. Yet his life and work transcended physics. After the soaraway success of his book A Brief History of Time, he was lionised worldwide and made countless media appearances. 鈥淭he concept of the imprisoned mind roaming the cosmos had global resonance,鈥� said cosmologist Martin Rees in an address to the congregation.

Hawking died on 14 March 2018. His funeral was held shortly afterwards in Cambridge. It is a measure of his greatness that his ashes are now buried at Westminster Abbey near the remains of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. To some it might seem strange for Hawking to be honoured in a religious service, including hymns, prayers and readings from the old and new testaments by Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Hawking in a 2004 BBC drama, and daughter Lucy Hawking.

Rees tackled the issue. 鈥淪tephen described his own scientific quest as learning the mind of God,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淏ut this was a metaphor. He shared Darwin鈥檚 agnosticism. It is fitting that he too should be interred in this national shrine.鈥�

The most moving part of the service came when Hawking鈥檚 ashes were placed within gaze of Newton鈥檚 statue. Hawking鈥檚 family laid flowers in the tomb and a medallion inscribed with a diagram showing how a star collapsing into a black hole evaporates away due to Hawking radiation. The choir and music composed by Vangelis for the occasion added to the solemnity.

The camera beaming pictures around the huge abbey flicked away from the scene to focus on Newton鈥檚 memorial, a moment of privacy for the family. It was a poignant reminder that despite a very public life and death, this was still a family funeral.

Theoretical physicist Kip Thorne was a close friend of Hawking鈥檚 for more than 40 years. His tribute during the service was personal and touching. 鈥淗e was the most stubborn friend I ever had. He absolutely refused to let his physical disability get in the way of doing great science or get in the way of having great fun.鈥�

Thorne provided an insight into how Hawking was able to carry out his research long after motor neurone disease robbed him of his ability to write. 鈥淗e taught himself how to do mathematics without pencil, paper and formulas. In their place he manipulated in his mind images of geometric shapes, of ribbons, curves, cubes and spheres. These flowing mental images gave him insights that no one else could find. They underlie his discoveries that black holes always grow and that our universe must have been born in a big bang singularity.鈥�

Thorne also talked of Hawking鈥檚 fabulous sense of fun and love for life. His infectious joy during a helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon, twirling his wheelchair at a gala ball and driving it into the snow on a trip to Antarctica one winter.

And it was this sense of fun that transformed the mood at the end of the service from sombre to joyous. As the congregation departed, the organist played Wagner鈥檚 Ride of the Valkyries with gusto. Hawking鈥檚 colleagues glanced at each other and smirked. Who else would end a service in Westminster Abbey with a rousing pagan anthem? Mischievous even beyond the grave, this was pure Hawking.

We were in left in no doubt. This was a celebration of Hawking鈥檚 life. This was a moment of history.

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Hear Kip Thorne鈥檚 tribute to Hawking in full

Hear Martin Rees鈥檚 tribute to Hawking in full

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Westminster Abbey is open to visitors. See for times.