The heartbroken members of Boyzone were tonight holding a vigil at the Dublin funeral parlor where the body of Stephen Gately lay in repose.

Boyzone manager Louis Walsh said the Boyz would sit with Gately in the church tonight, saying: "Stephen's mother didn't want him to be alone in the dark, so Ronan, Keith, Mikey and Shane have stepped up and will sit with Stephen's body."

"He was like their little brother and they want to be a friend to him in death as he was to them in life,” Walsh added.

The four remaning members of Boyzone all got tattoos that read "76 09," the years of Gately's birth and death, in honor of their late friend.

Lead singer Ronan Keating paid an emotional tribute to Gately earlier today after bringing Gately's body home from Majorca.

A visibly upset Keating said: "Our world changed forever when we lost our friend and brother Stephen."

But, he said he wanted to pay tribute to friends and fans for their "countless messages of love and support."

Keating said Gately "loved being center stage,” and said he was probably "looking down on us now wishing we'd move over so he could flash his smile for the cameras one more time".

"We have come to Majorca today to accompany our pal on his final journey back to Dublin, where we know he will be given an unforgettable send off tomorrow,” he said.

"What the future holds for the four of us now is too hard to even think about. But we know that nothing will ever be the same without our dearest friend, Stephen... rest in peace, brother.”