A funeral service was held Friday to remember victims of the Quebec City mosque attack.
“It’s going to be very powerful, very sad, very difficult,” said Hassan Guillet, a spokesperson for the Council of Imams of Quebec.
“Today, we’re going to pray for the people who could not have a chance to finish their prayer.”
Mourners gathered to pay tribute to Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry and Azzeddine Soufiane at the Quebec City convention centre.
“We are going to reassure them [the families] that we’re going to be with them, that we’re going to accompany them,” said Guillet.
“We’re going to tell them ‘guys, life gave us lemons. We are going to make lemonade.’ So, we should rise from this tragedy..”
Get breaking National news
READ MORE: Thousands attend Montreal funeral for 3 of Quebec City mosque shooting victims
A ceremony was held in Montreal on Thursday for Abdelkrim Hassane, Khaled Belkacemi and Aboubaker Thabti, the three other people shot to death last Sunday.
“It’s sad that we need a tragedy like this one to realize how much we need each other,” said Guillet.
“None of us have chosen his place of birth, but they all have chosen the place where they want to live, the place where they want their kids to grow up.”
WATCH BELOW: Remembering the Quebec City mosque shooting victims
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the service the carnage has left Canada reeling in shock but has also unified the country in solidarity with Muslims.
READ MORE: Quebec City man relives Iraq war horror after mosque attack
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and Quebec City mayor Régis Labeaume also attended Friday’s event, which began around 1:20 p.m. after a prayer session.
The two Barry men were cousins and came from the same village in Guinea, while Soufiane was a grocer and butcher who was widely praised for often helping newcomers to the provincial capital.
— with files from The Canadian Press.
Comments