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Prayers to mark missing Madeleine Prayers to mark missing Madeleine
(about 2 hours later)
The parents of missing Madeleine McCann are marking 100 days since her disappearance with a church service. The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have marked 100 days since her disappearance with a church service.
The couple are attending the service at a church in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz from where she vanished. The couple attended the service at a church in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz from where she vanished.
Back in Britain, the four-year-old's grandparents are taking to the streets to hand out balloons, stickers and posters to highlight her plight. Kate McCann asked the congregation to "stay with" her and her family as they continued their "journey of hope" and to keep Madeleine in their prayers.
It comes amid unconfirmed reports in Portuguese newspapers that police now think the missing girl is dead.It comes amid unconfirmed reports in Portuguese newspapers that police now think the missing girl is dead.
Her parents, Kate and Gerry, say they still believe their daughter is alive. Back in Britain, the four-year-old's grandparents took to the streets in Liverpool to hand out balloons, stickers and posters to highlight her plight.
A hundred days is a landmark of sorts Madeleine's great uncle Brian Kennedy 'So hard'
Madeleine disappeared from an apartment room on 3 May while her parents were eating with friends at a nearby restaurant.
On Saturday, the church of Nossa Senhora da Luz was packed with holidaymakers and locals, many wearing green and yellow to symbolise hope.
The service - themed "100 Days of Hope" - included prayers for Madeleine and other missing children as well as short addresses by Kate and Gerry McCann.
Holding Madeleine's favourite soft toy, Cuddle Cat, Mrs McCann said: "As you are aware it is 100 days now since our little girl was taken from us.
Please stay with us as we continue our journey of hope and please keep Madeleine in your thoughts and prayers Kate McCann
"Every day feels so hard without Madeleine.
"I could talk all day about how wonderful, how precious Madeleine is, but suffice to say we all miss her so much and our lives aren't complete without Madeleine."
She added: "Please stay with us as we continue our journey of hope and please keep Madeleine in your thoughts and prayers."
Mr McCann said: "Madeleine has been missing for 100 days.
"We have not given up hope that we will be reunited with her. We will not stop looking for her until she is found."
'Hurtful' criticism
When the couple came out of the church they were greeted by loud applause from waiting holidaymakers and residents.
In recent days they have been forced to deny allegations they were somehow involved.In recent days they have been forced to deny allegations they were somehow involved.
Francisco Pagarete, the lawyer of the only suspect in the disappearance Robert Murat, has criticised her parents' alleged "strange" behaviour on the night she vanished.
Madeleine's grandparents Brian and Susan Healey manned a stall in the city centre of Liverpool, where they live, asking for donations.
Mrs Healy, 62, said, "It's been very hard this week.
100 days of searching
"I think where Kate and Gerry tell us to stay strong, not to take some of the criticism on board, it is not helpful, it is very hurtful and a lot of it is speculation."
In the family's home town of Rothley, in Leicestershire, relatives and friends of the McCanns marked the 100-day milestone with a quiet vigil at the local Catholic church.In the family's home town of Rothley, in Leicestershire, relatives and friends of the McCanns marked the 100-day milestone with a quiet vigil at the local Catholic church.
About 50 people gathered at the Sacred Heart Church to say prayers and light candles for Madeleine on Friday night.About 50 people gathered at the Sacred Heart Church to say prayers and light candles for Madeleine on Friday night.
Her great-uncle, Brian Kennedy, said: "A hundred days is a landmark of sorts. At 50 days we hoped at the time that we would not be here another 50 days later but here we are and so it goes on." There are also prayers and pledges of support being said on Saturday by sports stars, including England rugby star Jonny Wilkinson, jockey Frankie Dettori and Everton Football Club.
Her grandparents Brian and Susan Healey will be keeping her profile high as they take to the streets of Liverpool with balloons and stickers.
100 days of searching
In Britain, there will be prayers and pledges of support by sports stars, including England rugby star Jonny Wilkinson, jockey Frankie Dettori and Everton Football Club.
Teams in the Premiership have been wearing T-shirts with Madeleine's image during their pre-match warm ups.Teams in the Premiership have been wearing T-shirts with Madeleine's image during their pre-match warm ups.
Among the international events is a Mass being held in the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, France.Among the international events is a Mass being held in the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, France.
And a lone piper played a specially written lament for the missing girl at an international bagpipe event in Glasgow.And a lone piper played a specially written lament for the missing girl at an international bagpipe event in Glasgow.
On Friday, the McCanns helped launch a new section on the video-sharing website YouTube which will show footage of missing children.
The Don't You Forget About Me channel will be managed by the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington DC.
The couple has come under intense media pressure as police reportedly move away from the assumption that Madeleine was abducted from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on 3 May.
'Shift in investigation'
Under Portuguese law, police are not allowed to speak publicly about the details of an investigation but a spokesman has said there were indications to contradict the view that she was abducted.
Meanwhile, suspected traces of blood from the Algarve apartment where Madeleine was last seen are being tested in Birmingham by UK scientists. The couple have met detectives twice this week but are understood to be frustrated by a lack of clear information.
Mr McCann told the BBC: "It's incredibly difficult when people are implying that your daughter is dead and that you may have been involved in it.
"I had a fairly strong belief that there was a lack of evidence, certainly initially, that there was no evidence of serious harm and I do not know of any specific evidence now that alters that."
He acknowledged there had been a "shift in the investigation".
He suggested detectives could be "starting with a new slate", fuelling speculation Robert Murat, the only official suspect in the case, would soon be formally cleared.
Madeleine's mother Kate said: "All we want is Madeleine back, and the truth to be out. Anything else we'll stay strong and we'll get through."