The event honouring conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a stadium in Arizona was a swirling mix of memorial service, big-church Christian religious revival and conservative political rally.
It also provided a glimpse of a Republican Party at a fork in the road, weighing a choice between forgiveness and retribution; reconciliation and conflict.
The leading lights of President Donald Trump's Make America Great Again coalition gathered for an hours-long celebration of Kirk's life, which included music and plenty of speeches.
Despite the string of prominent politicians speaking on Sunday night, the defining moment came when Erika Kirk, Charlie's widow, took the stage. The 36-year-old former beauty contestant, podcaster and businesswoman took the opportunity to preach unity - including forgiveness for her husband's killer.
The answer to hate is not hate, she said, her voice cracking. The answer, we know from the Gospel, is love and always love. Love for our enemies, and love for those who persecute us.
While Erika offered a vision of a more compassionate conservative future, Donald Trump’s remarks served as a reminder of the combative tone that often defines the current Republican Party, where division is palpable and promises of retaliation are made openly.
The event itself resembled a religious revival, with tens of thousands in attendance fostering a call for a new enthusiasm among young Americans towards traditional Christian values, likely influenced by Kirk's untimely death.
This emerging political landscape, blending calls for unity alongside aggressive posturing, offers a snapshot of the potential future for politics in the U.S., especially as names like Erika Kirk could soon shape that dialogue amid more prominent political tensions.
