People pack into into Montreal church for Angelil funeral

Several hundred people are attending a funeral at Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica this afternoon for Rene Angelil, Celine Dion’s late husband.

The funeral will be live-streamed on Friday and begins at noon PST (3 p.m. EST).

Angelil’s service was held at the Notre-Dame Basilica at his request because it was where he and Dion Wednesday 21 years ago.

Celine took to Twitter on Thursday (21Jan16) and invited fans from around the world to take part in her late husband’s funeral, writing, “From anywhere across the globe, it will be possible to follow Rene Angelil’s state funeral online tomorrow”.

Retired National Hockey League coach Michel Bergeron, who once coached the Quebec City Nordiques and New York Rangers, was a close friend of Angelil’s.

Although Dion did not speak at the funeral, the couple’s eldest son, Rene-Charles, drew laughter and tears with a short speech that ended with the words, “Je t’aime papa”.

Dressed entirely in black and wearing a veil, Dion entered the church, holding the hands of her five-year-old twins, Nelson and Eddy.

It has been a trying time for Dion: Two days after Angelil passed away from throat cancer at age 73, her brother Daniel, 59, also died from cancer. And a lot of other wonderful food, bonding more and more as time went by. “As they grow older, without you being around, I’ll make sure to pass on what I’ve learned from you”, the 14-year-old said. He joked he was anxious to see which pew seat Angélil assigned to him.

Speaking to Canadian media, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre said it was a day for Montrealers to remember Angelil as a generous man.

She looked to her son for support.

Fans outside Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal.