Prayers for the late Jonah Lomu were flowing in Tonga this morning at the Lomu family home in Longolongo, Nuku’alofa, as they remembered the young man who made the Lomu name legendary.

More family will come together after work today, Friday, to hold an evening prayer service at the home of Fine Lomu (90) and the late Mataiasi Lomu - whose younger brother was the grandfather of Jonah.

Pongipongi Lomu, who works for the Revenue Services in Nuku’alofa, said the family would gather at 7:00pm

This morning Fine (90) shed tears and clutched a framed picture of Jonah meeting King Tupou IV in October 1996 in Tonga, soon after he had wowed the world of Rugby at the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Jonah told Matangi Tonga in an interview at the time, “I spent two years of my childhood in Tonga with my mother’s family in Ha’apai while my younger brother stayed here on the main island with my father’s family. I did not go to school in Ha’apai I was just running around eating coconuts.”

Jonah also said that his super star status would not affect his play. “Not really, I think it is something that comes along with something that I have done, I think you just have to make sure that it does not affect you in any way,” he told his Tonga fans.

He also encouraged some of his fellow visitors, the Tongan overseas players who were visiting Tonga for the first time to go out and explore the islands and to experience the life that he grew up in.

At the time the Tonga Government recognised Jonah for his contribution in making Tonga known to the world.

Jonah (40) died suddenly at his home in Auckland on Tuesday night.