Community Stands in Solidarity at Memorial Mass Honoring Victims of Lapu-Lapu Festival Tragedy

By Janice Lozano

Vancouver, BC, April 10, 2026, With heavy hearts and unwavering unity, the community gathered at St Andrew’s Parish  for a Commemoration Memorial Mass marking one year since the tragic events at the Lapu-Lapu Festival on April 26, 2025.

The Mass was a deeply emotional and sacred moment of remembrance for the 11 innocent lives lost, as well as for the many individuals who continue to endure the lasting physical, emotional, and psychological effects of the attack. Families of the victims, survivors, and community members gathered inside the church, many carrying grief that has not faded with time, but has instead become part of their daily lives.

Throughout the service, prayers and reflections acknowledged not only the lives lost, but also the ongoing struggles faced by victims and their loved ones. For many families, the past year has been marked by profound loss, unanswered questions, and the difficult journey of healing. Survivors continue to navigate recovery, while families carry the weight of absence, empty seats at tables, missed milestones, and the quiet, enduring pain of loss.

Yet amid this sorrow, a powerful message resonated: they are not alone.

Leaders, speakers, and community representatives emphasized that the victims and their families remain surrounded by a network of care, compassion, and unwavering support. The presence of the broader community served as a visible and heartfelt reminder that their grief is shared, their stories are honored, and their loved ones will never be forgotten.

The service was attended by key leaders, including Premier David Eby, Vancouver Mayor Ken, members of Vancouver City Council, Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Official Opposition of Canada and Philippine Consul General Gina A Jamoralin. Standing alongside the victims’ families, they reinforced a collective commitment, not only to remembrance, but to continued support, healing, and unity.

In their presence and in their words, leaders affirmed that the city of Vancouver stands with the victims, and that the Filipino-Canadian community is embraced and supported by the entire province and nation. The tragedy may have shaken the community, but it also revealed its strength, its capacity to come together, to lift one another, and to move forward with compassion and resilience.

As candles flickered and prayers filled the church, the names and memories of those lost were held with reverence. Tears were shared, embraces exchanged, and a collective promise echoed quietly but powerfully: that their lives will continue to be remembered, and that their families will continue to be supported.

In unity and in faith, the Memorial Mass became more than a commemoration, it became a testament to enduring love, shared grief, and a community that refuses to let anyone walk through loss alone.