Multi-faith vigil honours the 5 men named as Bruce McArthur's alleged victims - Action News
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Toronto

Multi-faith vigil honours the 5 men named as Bruce McArthur's alleged victims

The Metropolitan United Church brought together people from more than a dozen different faiths Monday night, as the community continued to grieve the loss of the five men allegedly killed by Bruce McArthur.

Ceremony one of several vigils planned as LGBT community continues to grieve, and begins to mend

The Metropolitan United Church Choir performed at the vigil. (Michael Charles Cole/CBC)

Members of more than a dozen different faiths gathered at the Metropolitan United Church Monday evening torememberMajeed Kayhan, Soroush Mahmudi, Dean Lisowick, Andrew Kinsman and Selim Esen.

Bruce McArthur, 66, is charged with first-degree murder in the each of their deaths.

Minister of Congregational Care and Development, Reverend Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea, presided over the ceremony and read the opening scripture, which read, in part: "Glory lies slain. How the lovely have fallen."

The Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea presided over the vigil. The Metropolitan United Church held a similar multi-faith service last year after six men were killed in a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City. (Michael Charles Cole/CBC)

He said the point of the ceremony is to allow members of the community to come together, as friends, and mend.

"If we just stand side by side, the dark won't be so dark, and together we make light that burns so bright. It doesn't take away our fears, but it makes them not so unbearable."

Ongoing investigation

Police arrested Bruce McArthur in January and are continuing to search properties connected with his landscaping business.

Andrew Kinsman went missing in June. He was last seen in the area of Parliament Street and Winchester Street. (Toronto Police Service)

Police confirmed Thursday they'd found the remains of Andrew Kinsman at a home on Mallory Crescent, where McArthur worked and stored his equipment.

Theyalso announcedthey'd found the remains of two others hidden in large planters on the property, in addition to the remains of three other people they'd discovered earlier in the investigation.

It's unclear if those remains belong to the other men who've been named.

Diverse groups come together

Each new announcement or discovery means fresh wounds for members of the community, who are using these vigils as times to come together for comfort.

It's something Mayor John Tory felt the need to join, stepping away from Monday's final budget meeting at city hall to take part inthe service.

"This is the story of Toronto. When we are grieving, when we're hurting, when there's a tragedy that's taken place, or sometimes when there's joy, we celebrate together," he said.

Members of theRoman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Baha'i, Wiccan, Sikh, Buddhist and atheist communitiesmade speeches at the vigil.

Ciantar said at least two of the men who went missing are very close to people he cares about, who are 'still broken over this.' (Michael Charles Cole/CBC)

Paul Ciantar represented the atheists, taking his first steps inside a church in "quite some time." He's lived in the area aroundToronto's Gay Villagefor more than three decades, and he felt he had to share his own perspective on what's happened.

"I remember 30 years ago when it wasn't so easy to be gay anywhere, especially in downtown Toronto. We had to look out for each other because there was this big, external threat," he said. "People have sort of deluded themselves into believing ... we're perfectly safe,that there are no more people out there who want to do harm."

Ciantar said the events of the past month have broken down some of the safety felt by the community within the confines of the Gay Village.

"It takes something like this to demonstrate how vulnerable we are, especially the people who don't fit the mold of being the beautiful, very social, predominantly white male that everyone is looking after."

Although Ciantar didn't know any of the victims himself, he saidat least two of them were close to people he cares about.

"Just the discovery of Andrew's bones, that just brought the wounds back to light for a whole lot of people," he said.

The Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea said when he began to put the plans together for the vigil, people from 22 different faith groups signed up to take part. (Michael Charles Cole/CBC)

Attempts to heal

A similar vigil took place at the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto last week, where Rev. Jeff Rock is senior pastor.

"I think it was an important thing for our city in all of its diversity to come together and grieve together and remember those who've died and build solidarity across lines of race or religionor gender or sexuality."

Community members and dignitaries light candles during a vigil hosted by the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, in Toronto on Sunday, February 4, 2018. (Christopher Katsarov/Canadian Press)

Many members of the community will also take part in a vigil at the The 519, a LGBT community centre, Tuesday evening at 6 p.m.