'It affected us as humans': Memorial mass held for Barrhaven homicide victims

“We all identify with coming to Canada to make your life better. They had that taken away from them.”

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Published Mar 16, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute read

A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. The service was led by, from left to right, Father Jonathan Kelly; Father Martin Okwudiba; Father Virgil Amirthakumar; and Father Pierre Champoux. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Community members came together on Saturday morning to participate in a memorial mass for the six victims of the mass killing in Barrhaven on March 6.

More than 100 people gathered for the service at the St. Monica Parish in Nepean. Organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group, the mass began at 11 a.m.

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A band played as people found their seats in the church’s main hall, which was filled with multicoloured light cast through stained-glass windows.

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Framed photos of the six victims were found on the magenta-carpeted altar, on top of a white sheet and surrounded by bouquets of flowers filled with baby’s-breath, chrysanthemums and white roses. As the service began, red roses were placed in front of each photo.

Some attendees lit candles set up on either side of the altar.

“The people who passed away, they’re not Catholic, but there’s a huge sense of community here,” said Damithri Silva, one of the event organizers. “We just wanted to do what we could as fellow Barrhaven community members, fellow Sri Lankans, just to be able to do our part.

“We all identify with coming to Canada to make your life better. They had that taken away from them.”

The service, which was live-streamed for viewers in Sri Lanka, included portions in English, Tamil and Sinhalese.

“A lot of us here didn’t know these families personally, but we didn’t need to know them personally for it to affect us,” Silva said during the service. “It affected us as humans, it affected us as members of the Barrhaven community, it affected us as Sri Lankans.”

Six people lost their lives in what police said was the worst mass killing in Ottawa’s recent history.

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Darshani Dilanthika Ekanayake, 35, and her four children — son Inuka, 7, and daughters Ashwini, 4, Ranaya, 3 and Kelly, two months — were killed along with Gamini Amarakoon, a 40-year-old acquaintance of the family who was also living in the home.

“In addition to the classmates of the children who are grieving the loss of their friends, the community of Barrhaven/Nepean will be grieving the loss of a sense of innocence within our neighborhood for the foreseeable future,” said Father Pierre Champoux, who noted that two of the children had attended Monsignor Paul Baxter School. “We are all united by our common humanity we share together, so we share our grief.”

The Barrhaven family, who moved into the Berrigan Drive home last July, is survived by husband and father Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, who was seriously injured in the attack. Silva said Wickramasinghe was no longer in hospital, but would not make it to Saturday’s memorial service.

Amarakoon left behind a wife, Dishani, and two children, Asheri and Kaylee, who live in Sri Lanka.

Tharuka Fernando, who took part in the service, said she went to school with Amarakoon’s wife in Colombo, the executive and judicial capital of Sri Lanka, in 2007. She learned that her old friend’s husband had died from social media.

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“I didn’t know his name and the family at all, but, when I went through his Facebook profile, I saw his wife and I got really shocked,” Fernando said. “I was like ‘I know this girl. She’s my schoolmate.’”

Fernando said the two had since been in touch.

“She’s strong, but she’s shocked,” Fernando said, adding that her friend would be watching the livestream of the memorial service in Ottawa alongside members of her community in Rajagiriya, a suburb bordering Colombo.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as audio messages recorded by Amarakoon’s family were played during the service.

“You’re an amazing dad and, not only a dad, you’re an amazing friend and amazing husband to mommy,” a child’s voice said over the church speakers. “We hope to see you soon, if we can, and just look over us and take care of us.”

A message from Amarakoon’s wife thanked him for being “a lovely husband” and an “amazing father all the time.”

“Even though I have a lot to tell, right now I’m speechless,” she said. “I still feel that you will ring me any time. The wonderful time we spent together, the memories we collected together will always be in our hearts.

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“All our dreams just faded in a way that we never thought of. I’m sorry for not being able to stay beside you in this time that you need me the most.”

Near the end of Saturday’s service, which included readings and hymns, community members took part in communion. The service ended with the band performing Amazing Grace as many attendees went to the altar to pay their respects before gathering at a reception downstairs.

A multi-faith funeral service will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Infinity Convention Center on 2901 Gibford Dr. in Ottawa’s south end.

Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with the March 6 attack. He made a second court appearance by video on Thursday and is scheduled for another appearance on March 28.

With files from Postmedia staff

A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Community members paid their respects and had a moment after the service at the altar with the victims photographs. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Father Virgil Amirthakumar of The Good Shepherd Parish on Innes Road led the service. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. A woman places a long-stem red rose in front of each victim’s photograph before the service. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Damithri Silva played an audio recording from Gamini Amarakoon’s wife and child in Sri Lanka. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Community members paid their respects and had a moment after the service at the altar with the victims’ photographs. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia A Catholic Memorial Mass organized by the Ottawa Sri Lankan Catholic Prayer Group was held Saturday for the six victims of the Barrhaven mass killing on March 6. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

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