Hours after waking to watch Pope Francis being laid to relaxation, a number of dozen devoted paid a last tribute to the late pontiff at a memorial mass at Montreal’s Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral on Saturday.
The downtown cathedral — a one-quarter duplicate of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome — has been on the centre of occasions in Montreal marking the passing of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. A bigger crowd gathered on Tuesday night for a requiem mass.
Christian Lépine, the Archbishop of Montreal, presided over the Saturday mass. Like many, he was up on the daybreak to watch the procession on tv and has been on the coronary heart of native occasions.
“It’s like time stopped for the entire week,” Lépine stated on the conclusion of the sombre occasion.
“Pope Francis was on the forefront of many issues,” Lépine stated. “We give the folks the area the place they’ll mourn collectively and pray collectively in order that’s what we’ve been doing, providing an area with the folks to mourn collectively.”
Michelina Lavoratore stated she got here to pay her respects for Francis and stated the pope ought to be remembered for his frequent requires peace that fall on deaf ears of political leaders.
Get each day Nationwide information
Get the day’s prime information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
Lavoratore, a dame of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a Catholic order, stated as such, she had a particular attachment to the pope.
“I admired him,” she stated.
But in addition on the minds of some Catholics is who will come subsequent. Lavoratore stated for the following pope, she hopes the particular person is a conservative who doesn’t make too many adjustments and respects traditions in place.
Geronimo Fernadez was additionally readily available to pay his respects.
“He made plenty of adjustments shortly,” Fernandez stated of Pope Francis, including that wasn’t essentially a very good factor. Fernandez stated his hope for the following pope is somebody youthful and genuine.
For his half, Denis Pelchat gave Pope Francis excessive marks and stated whereas he couldn’t get all the things carried out on his checklist, what he did was outstanding.
“I’m right here to pay tribute to Pope Francis, who I liked, who I learn, who impressed me vastly,” Pelchat stated. As for the following pope, Pelchat stated he’ll “belief in God.”
“I’ve no expectations. For the previous 50 years, we’ve at all times been amazed by all popes who’ve been elected, who’ve at all times introduced one thing particular,” Pelchat stated.
Requested about his personal hopes for the following pope, Lépine was coy.
“I’m anticipating to be shocked by the selection of the following pope,” he stated with a smile.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Source link