Queen Elizabeth II honoured at special church services in the Maritimes

Maritimers were among the many Canadians mourning Queen Elizabeth II as the monarch was laid to rest Monday.

Commemorative ceremonies were held at churches in all three capital cities Monday afternoon.

A multi-faith memorial service, which was open to the public, was held at the Cathedral Church of All Saints in Halifax Monday afternoon.

Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc delivered the eulogy and Premier Tim Houston gave a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

"Her five tours of our province will be remembered by Nova Scotians for generations to come," said Houston during Monday's service.

LeBlanc spoke on Queen Elizabeth II's keen interest of history and family affairs.

"She took the monarchy into modernity. The world changed immensely during her reign," said Lt.-Gov. Arthur Leblanc.

Leaders of several faiths also reflected on Her Majesty during Monday's service.

"Her ability to always look forward, never allowing herself the indulgence of hiding away for some idealized past," said Rabbi Gary Karlin of the Shaar Shalom Synagogue.

"[She] had a commendable role in upholding the freedom of all faiths, welcoming those of all faiths," said Imam Abdullah Yousri of the Ummah Mosque.

In New Brunswick, a provincial commemorative service took place at Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton. The service was by invitation only, due to limited space.

A procession of honour started at Government House and continued to the cathedral before the ceremony. A ceremonial gun salute took place in conjunction with the service.

Although invite only, many people gathered outside the church as a way to still participate in the service.

"My father was born in England, came here when he was 13," said one person who gathered outside the church Monday. "My father was military and my son is now in cadets and he's part of today's service."

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said the service was a day many will never forget.

"The first singing of God Save the King, I mean, it was really a moment to think, well, we've never done that," he said.

Higgs feels the mourning will continue after Monday, despite the changes people are already seeing.

"She certainly was a beacon of hope for many, many countries, including ours," Higgs said. "I think, probably moving forward, there's going to be a lot of reflection about what this all means and how we transition from the Queen to King Charles III."

Prince Edward Island held a commemorative ceremony at St. Peter’s Cathedral Church in Charlottetown. The service was by invitation only, due to space restrictions.

“It was a perfect ceremony for P.E.I., for the Queen. It was understated, yet it was just what she would expect here,” said P.E.I. Premier Dennis King.

P.E.I. Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry also spoke of her memories of the Queen during the service on Monday.

"Who made me feel at ease the instant I looked at her intent gaze, with her captivating eyes, I'll never forget them. It was so intense," Perry said, as she remembered Queen Elizabeth II.

A 21-gun salute was fired by the Prince Edward Island Regiment (RCAC) near the Prince Edward Battery following the service.

Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8 at the age of 96. After 70 years of service, she was the longest-reigning monarch in Commonwealth history.

A state funeral -- the first since the death of Winston Churchill -- was held Monday morning. Thousands of mourners flocked to the streets of London to honour the Queen and watch the procession, while millions of people around the world watched on TV and online. 

In Canada, Monday was a federal holiday to mark the Queen’s state funeral, and all federal government employees had the day off.

Monday was a provincial holiday in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where schools and government offices were closed. The holiday was optional for private-sector businesses and employees.

Prince Edward Island declared a one-time statutory holiday for all provincially-regulated workers. Government offices and public offices were closed, but retailers could stay open. Businesses have to follow provincial rules on overtime for employees who worked the holiday.

While most Maritimers marked the day at home, some travelled across the pond to honour the Queen in person.

The Brennan family from Nova Scotia’s East Hants lined up for hours on Sunday to pay their respects to the Queen while she lied in state at Westminster Hall, ahead of Monday’s service.

“It all just feels like a blur,” said Patrick Brennan from London. “None of it feels real yet.”

“It’s been great. It’s a little surreal,” said Reilly Brennan. “We just got off the plane and came right here … it’s the longest-reigning monarch in history and so you have to go if you have the opportunity.”