Las Vegas's Catholic community gathers ahead of Pope Francis's funeral
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Las Vegas parishioners celebrated and honored the life of Pope Francis ahead of his funeral Saturday. The Archdiocese of Las Vegas held a public memorial mass on Friday afternoon at the Guardian Angel Cathedral on the Las Vegas Strip.
After the church joined together in song, Archbishop George Leo Thomas spoke to the congregation, whose pews were nearly filled.
'It means so much to be with other people who are feeling the same thing about our loss that we were lucky enough to experience,' Amy Ayoub, who attended the mass, said.
Ayoub is a regular attendee at Guardian Angel Cathedral, but has not always been. She used to attend the church as a teenager, and thanks Pope Francis for bringing her back.
'I had left the church for quite a while, and to have a Pope that was so accepting of everyone, who just preached love, kindness, respect… that always made me feel like it was a place I could be welcomed back into.'
Archbishop Thomas and other attendees also focused on applauding Pope Francis' inclusivity and acceptance.
'It was the first time we had a connection, especially the Latino families, the Latino people,' said Mercedes Hernandez, who also attended mass with her daughter.
She continued, 'What we need to do now is follow his steps. That's what we need right now, with everything going on.'
Pope Francis's funeral takes place tomorrow in Vatican City, where more than 200,000 people are expected to attend.
Viewers can watch the funeral on 8 News Now. Coverage will start at 12:45 a.m.
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