Ren Anglil remembered at national funeral in Montreal

Famed Quebec songstress Cline Dion, shadowed behind a thin black veil, clutched the hands of her twin sons tightly as she made her way slowly toward her husband's casket this afternoonat Montreal's historicNotre-Dame Basilica.

Visiblypained,Dioncarefullyplaced deeppurplecallalilies on a pillow resting onthe dark casket ofRen Anglil, her former manager and husband of 21 years,before taking a seat for the Catholicservice.

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Music industry personalities, celebrities, politicians and fans gathered at the church inOld Montrealto bid farewell to the man whom many credit with transforming the francophonechanteuse into an international superstar.

Anglil, 73, diedin Las Vegas last week after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Cline Dion and family arrive at Ren Anglil's funeral

9 years ago

Duration 1:29

Cline Dion arrives at the Notre-Dame Basilica flanked by the couple's twin sons , her face covered by a black veil.

Dion and the couple's three children, along with Anglil'sadult sons, entered thechurch at 3:20 p.m. as a recording ofDion'ssongTroisheuresvingtplayedthroughthe sound system.

The couple's eldest child,Ren-Charles,escorted Dion'selderlymother.

Anglilwanted his funeral massto take place in the same church where the pairmarried inDecember 1994, according to a note posted by the singer onFacebook.

In aeulogy,Ren-Charles, who turns 15 next week,said he was "lucky to be born in a family where there was a lot of love."

"Fifteenyears is not a long time for a son to get to know his father," he said.

"You're a tough act to follow, but with yourhelp, everything is going to be fine. I promise you that we are going to live up to your standards. Je t'aime, pa."

ChristianLpine, archbishop of Montreal,presided over the service.IbrahimM.Ibrahim, eparchof the GreekMelkiteCatholic Church in Canada, celebrated the mass, along with Rev. MiguelCastellanos, a member of the pastoral team at the basilica.

National funeral

Dion's family accepted an offer by Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard for the government to play a role in the organization of the funeral.

The service is what's known as a nationalfuneral in Quebec technically not a state funeral, which is reserved for former premiers.

A government spokesman said Quebec is picking up the costsof the organization of the funeral and Thursday's visitation. The cost of security for the two-day event is being assumed by the provincial police, theSret du Qubec.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife,Sophie Grgoire-Trudeau,and federal Heritage Minister Mlanie Jolyare also in attendance, as is the Quebec premier.

"Today we're honouring RenAnglil, for what hedid, for what he's done for culture in Quebec, for sharing our culture everywhere around the world, for his philanthropic work," he told reporters outside the church.

"That's what we're saying today as a population toRenAnglil we're saying thank you."

'My career was his masterpiece'

Dion and Anglilhadthree children,Ren-Charles, 14, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 5. Anglilis also survived by children from previous marriages.

During the service,Dionwas presented with a monogrammed pillow that had been used in the couple's wedding. She removed a ring tied to the white satin fabric and quietly slipped it on her finger.

The singer did not perform at the funeral, but several of her songs accompanied the service. As the family left the church, after pausing for photos,Dionran her finger along the top of the casket and leaned down to kiss it.

"I understood that my career was in a way his masterpiece," Dion said in a message shared withmembers of the public who visitedthe Notre-Dame Basilica on Thursday during the visitation.

"I realized that if he ever left us, I would have tocontinue without him, for him."