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Ottawa’s Italian community honoured slain soldier Cpl. Nathan Cirillo on Sunday, hosting a mass in his honour and laying wreaths in his memory at the foot of the Memorial Wall in Little Italy.
Cirillo was gunned down as he guarded the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014. The man who shot him then stormed Parliament Hill, where he was killed by Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers and the RCMP. It was the second attack on a Canadian soldier that week. Days earlier, Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent had been run down as he left a veteran service centre in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.
Cirillo’s ancestors came to Canada from a small village in Calabria, Italy.
The ceremony was held at Piazza Dante on Booth Street after the mass in St. Anthony’s Church. The event featured a piper from the Ottawa police, Firefighter’s Honour Guard, and dignitaries from Ottawa’s Italian community. Ottawa police and RCMP officers also attended the ceremony, which was organized by the Italian Canadian Community Centre and organizers of Ottawa’s Italian Week
“One year ago, Canada was hit by two brutal attacks against two military in uniform,” Italian ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado said in Italian to a group of several dozen people who attended the solemn ceremony. “The National War Memorial and federal Parliament, which are symbols of peace and democracy, were attacked by two extremist criminals which were motivated by the hate and fundamentalist ideology.”
Cornado said Italians sent their prayers to the families of both soldiers, but their thoughts are especially with Cirillo’s young son, Marcus.
“I hope that Marcus will be able to find comfort in the fact that all Canada looks at him with pride, gratitude and respect,” he said.
Cornado said it was an honour for him to be invited to deliver the closing remarks at the event.
“Italy was deeply shocked and saddened by the terrorist attack of last year, so it was for me a way to show the solidarity of Italy to Canada, to the armed forces, to the Canadian people, and of course to the family of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent,” Cornado said following the ceremony.
The ceremony was the culmination of a year of fundraising by the Italian community for Marcus Cirillo. Claudio Pagani, president of Italian Week, said a cheque for $10,000 was donated last week to a trust fund for the child.
“For me, it was a small thing to do for what (Cirillo) stood for. The fact he was Italian Canadian that’s only a part of it — he was still a soldier for Canada, he represented us all,” said Pagani.
A plaque honouring Cirillo will be added to the community’s memorial wall, Pagani said.
Photos: Remembering Cirillo
Ottawa's Italian community remembered Cpl. Nathan Cirillo in a ceremony on Sunday, OCt. 25, 2015.
aseymour@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/andrew_seymour
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Cirillo was gunned down as he guarded the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014. The man who shot him then stormed Parliament Hill, where he was killed by Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers and the RCMP. It was the second attack on a Canadian soldier that week. Days earlier, Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent had been run down as he left a veteran service centre in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.
Cirillo’s ancestors came to Canada from a small village in Calabria, Italy.
The ceremony was held at Piazza Dante on Booth Street after the mass in St. Anthony’s Church. The event featured a piper from the Ottawa police, Firefighter’s Honour Guard, and dignitaries from Ottawa’s Italian community. Ottawa police and RCMP officers also attended the ceremony, which was organized by the Italian Canadian Community Centre and organizers of Ottawa’s Italian Week
“One year ago, Canada was hit by two brutal attacks against two military in uniform,” Italian ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado said in Italian to a group of several dozen people who attended the solemn ceremony. “The National War Memorial and federal Parliament, which are symbols of peace and democracy, were attacked by two extremist criminals which were motivated by the hate and fundamentalist ideology.”
Cornado said Italians sent their prayers to the families of both soldiers, but their thoughts are especially with Cirillo’s young son, Marcus.
“I hope that Marcus will be able to find comfort in the fact that all Canada looks at him with pride, gratitude and respect,” he said.
Cornado said it was an honour for him to be invited to deliver the closing remarks at the event.
“Italy was deeply shocked and saddened by the terrorist attack of last year, so it was for me a way to show the solidarity of Italy to Canada, to the armed forces, to the Canadian people, and of course to the family of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent,” Cornado said following the ceremony.
The ceremony was the culmination of a year of fundraising by the Italian community for Marcus Cirillo. Claudio Pagani, president of Italian Week, said a cheque for $10,000 was donated last week to a trust fund for the child.
“For me, it was a small thing to do for what (Cirillo) stood for. The fact he was Italian Canadian that’s only a part of it — he was still a soldier for Canada, he represented us all,” said Pagani.
A plaque honouring Cirillo will be added to the community’s memorial wall, Pagani said.
Photos: Remembering Cirillo
Ottawa's Italian community remembered Cpl. Nathan Cirillo in a ceremony on Sunday, OCt. 25, 2015.
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Nello Bortolotti places a wreath on the Memorial Wall at the Piazza Dante during a memorial service for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo by members of the Ottawa's Italian Canadian community on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Justin Tang / Ottawa Citizen
Italian Ambassador Gian Lorenzo Cornado speaks during a memorial service for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo by members of the Ottawa's Italian Canadian community at the Piazza Dante on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Justin Tang / Ottawa Citizen
The Canadian flag is held low as the Last Post is played during a memorial service for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the Piazza Dante by members of the Ottawa's Italian Canadian community on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Justin Tang / Ottawa Citizen
People look on during a memorial service for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the Piazza Dante by members of the Ottawa's Italian Canadian community on Sunday, October 25, Justin Tang / Ottawa Citizen
People participate in a memorial service for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the Piazza Dante by members of the Ottawa's Italian Canadian community on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Justin Tang / Ottawa Citizen
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aseymour@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/andrew_seymour
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