B.C. Remembers Victims of Lapu-Lapu Day Festival Tragedy with Province-Wide Memorials and Vigils
Events are taking place across British Columbia to remember those who died in the Lapu-Lapu Day festival tragedy in East Vancouver on Saturday evening.
The B.C. government has declared Friday an official day of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the tragedy, which saw 11 people killed and dozens more injured when the driver of an SUV rammed into the crowd at a Filipino street festival.
Community groups, in particular the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, have plans to mark the occasion.
The public can sign a book of condolences in the main lobby of Vancouver City Hall starting Friday through to May 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also share a message of condolence online.
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The public is also welcome to sign a book of condolences at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria.
Matthew Furtado, director of communications for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, says several Catholic parishes will host memorial masses and prayer vigils to honour those lost in the tragedy.
“In our faith tradition, we really understand the importance of coming together in times of grief, in times of end of life, in times of sickness,” Furtado told CBC News. “A memorial mass in the Catholic tradition is not just a time to look behind, but also a time to look ahead, that we believe in eternal life.”
Archbishop J. Michael Miller will lead a memorial mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral in downtown Vancouver at 5 p.m. Friday for people directly affected by the tragedy. CBC News will livestream the mass.
A sign at a memorial for the victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day festival tragedy reads ‘Together we remember.’
One of the many memorials to the victims of the Lapu-Lapu Day festival tragedy in Vancouver. A local parish is holding a candlelight prayer vigil and pilgrimage to the site of the tragedy on Friday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
St. Mary’s Parish in East Vancouver is also holding a candlelight prayer vigil and pilgrimage to the site of the tragedy, starting at 4 p.m. Friday.
Other memorial masses in B.C. include:
Friday
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Victoria, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Immaculate Conception Parish, Delta, 9 a.m.
St. Andrew’s Parish, Vancouver, 11:30 a.m.
St. Joseph’s Parish, Langley, 6:15 p.m.
Monday
St. Francis de Sales Parish, Burnaby, 6 p.m.
Furtado says Archbishop Miller has called for a collection to be taken up this weekend at all Catholic parishes in support of the families and survivors of the tragedy.
Candlelight vigils will also take place at the Chilliwack Central Community Park on Friday at 7 p.m., and Langara College on Sunday at 7 p.m.
A 30-year-old, Adam Kai-Ji Lo, faces eight counts of second-degree murder in connection to the crash, although police have said more charges may come as their investigation continues.
Source: Swifteradio.com
