Dignitaries, hockey players and guests have started to arrive for the national funeral for Guy Lafleur, a Montreal Canadiens legend and hockey icon, on Tuesday morning.
“Today is a day to say thank you to Guy Lafleur for everything he gave us over so many years,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said prior to the ceremony.
“All the wins, all the inspiration, the incredible games he played but also his deep humanity.”
A crowd, with no shortage of Lafleur’s emblematic #10 jerseys, has already gathered outside the Mary Queen of the World Cathedral in the city’s downtown core. The ceremony is set to begin at 11 a.m.
Montreal Canadiens fans don jerseys of Guy Lafleur outside the late hockey great’s funeral.
Tim Sargeant/Global News
The five-time Stanley Cup winner died from lung cancer on April 22. He was 70 years old.
The NHL Hall of Famer and fan favourite is a native of Thurso, Que. Aside from playing with the Habs, Lafleur also graced the ice with the New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques.
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The final farewell comes after Lafleur, also known as “The Flower,” was lying in state at the Bell Centre on Sunday and Monday. Admirers in the thousands showed up to the team’s arena to pay their respects.
A makeshift shrine in front of the late hockey great’s statue features flowers, gloves and messages of sympathy.
The Canadiens hockey club said in a statement the Lafleur family accepted a national funeral as a way to share its grief with the community out of respect for the public who have supported Lafleur over the years.
According to the Quebec government, a national funeral is “reserved for people who, for example, have made an impact on political life, as decided by the government.”
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As Guy Lafleur lay in state for 2nd day, preparations underway for hockey legend’s funeral
A procession is set to leave the Bell Centre at 10:30 a.m. for the cathedral. Archbishop Christian Lépine will preside over the funeral, which is scheduled is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
The ceremony for Lafleur will be livestreamed on the Global News website and streaming channels.
— with files from Global News’ Tim Sargeant, Elizabeth Zogalis and The Canadian Press
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
