The celebration of Zacharias' life and legacy was held at Passion City Church in Atlanta and watched online by more than 75,000 online at RZIM.org/RaviMemorial including Vice President Mike Pence Fox News reported.
Zacharias, founder of Ravi Zacharias Ministries (RZIM) and renowned Christian apologist, spent nearly five decades traveling the world defending Christianity. He was converted while facing suicide at his age of 17 and died earlier this month at 74 from sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
Vice President Mike Pence a longtime friend of the religious leader, spoke in person at a memorial service Friday morning for Ravi calling him a "gentle giant of the faith" and his death a "personal loss" When Pence was governor of Indiana, Zacharias spoke at the 2014 state prayer breakfast at his invitation, Fox News noted.
"Yesterday President Trump said by making the intellectual case for Christianity, Ravi Zacharias was instrumental in helping millions of people around the world come to know the love and mercy of Jesus Christ," Pence said.
"In the late Billy Graham, it's been observed that God gave us the greatest evangelist of the 20th century. In Ravi Zacharias, God gave us the greatest Christian apologist of this century," He added. The Vice President visited the Zacharias family at RZIM's' headquarters in Alpharetta on May 22.
In addition to Pence, tributes continued from Ravi's family and Christian friends - including RZIM president Michael Ramsden, Brooklyn Tabernacle senior pastor Jim Cymbala, Passion Movement founder Louie Giglio, Christian music artist Matt Redman, and rapper Lecrae, Fox News noted.
Former NFL Quarterback, Tim Tebow called Zacharias his "mentor, teacher, pastor, friend, and hero" reminiscing about the first time they met and most recently when he knelt by his bedside.
"If Ravi touched your life, then let's honor him by honoring the one that he honored more than anything else, Jesus Christ," Tebow urged those watching.
"We are here today to give honor to the life and ministry of Ravi Zacharias, but we are also here today to give honor to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," Giglio told attendants in person and to the thousands tuning in online.
Zacharias was buried May 21 in a casket built by Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as Angola Prison) inmates, a request the Christian apologist had years ago, according to RZIM.
Zacharias wrote in his latest book, "Seeing Jesus from the East,"
"These prisoners know that this world is not their home and that no coffin could ever be their final destination. Jesus assured us of that. Such is the gospel story."
