Lapu-Lapu memorial service held 40 days after festival attack, in Filipino tradition

The Filipino community came together for a memorial service commemorating 40 days since the Lapu-Lapu Day festival attack.

It has been 40 days of pain for Vancouver’s Filipino community.

Forty days of disbelief since a car rammed through a crowd at the Lapu-Lapu festival in April, leaving 11 people dead.

On Thursday night in East Vancouver, a service was held to remember those who were lost.

“In Filipino Catholic tradition, the 40 days is very significant,” Crystal Laderas with Filipino BC told CTV News on Thursday.

“It’s believed that within the 40 days, the souls of our loved ones are very close to us, and then on the 40th day, they transition to the afterlife and they find peace.”

A touching memorial service was held at St. Andrew’s Parish Church in East Vancouver, just blocks from where tragedy struck, marking a chance to honour those who died.

It’s the latest in a series of memorial events since the attack in April which made global headlines – in what has been described as one of Vancouver’s darkest days.

“These 40 days recall the ancient story that when people lost their direction, lost their hope, somehow, like Jesus himself, showed himself alive and told them, despite what happened, we have hope,” Father Francis Galvan, who has Filipino heritage, told CTV News outside the church.

After the service, those in attendance gathered at the site of the attack, lighting candles and saying prayers for those killed and injured.

The days leading up to this event involved a debate over a City of Vancouver plan for a large scale benefit concert at Rogers Arena.

That now appears as if it will go ahead, though no date has been set and there are conversations over specifics between the parties involved before any final decision.

Filipino BC says Thursday’s memorial service isn’t closure, and that healing has no schedule.

But at least this is a chance to remember – and honour – those who were lost.