A humble Quebecer promoted to sainthood was honoured Saturday by tens of thousands of people, who gathered at Montreal's Olympic Stadium.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Quebec Premier Jean Charest both attended the tribute to St. Andre, who was canonized at a Vatican ceremony earlier this month.
Organizers were hoping to fill the stadium with 50,000 supporters. It cost $5 to attend.
St. Andre was born Alfred Bessette in St-Gregoire-d'Iberville on Aug. 9, 1845, and was orphaned at the age of 12.
In 1904, the Holy Cross brother founded Montreal's St. Joseph's Oratory, a landmark church on the northern slope of Mount Royal that receives about 2 million visitors every year.
He became known for comforting the sick, and is credited with more than 100,000 miraculous healings before his death in 1937 at age 91.
During the six days and nights before his funeral, more than one million people filed past his coffin.
Thousands gathered in St. Joseph's Oratory on Oct. 17, to watch on television as Pope Benedict canonized St. Andre during a ceremony at St. Peter's Square.
Benedict told the thousands of faithful gathered at the Vatican that although St. Andre was poorly educated and working at a menial job, he was an inspiration to many faithful.
"(As) doorman at the Notre Dame College in Montreal, he showed boundless charity and did everything possible to soothe the despair of those who confided in him," Benedict said.
On Saturday afternoon, CTV Montreal Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin said that thousands had piled into the stadium for the event.
But she said that it wasn't without some controversy, as a group had gathered to draw attention to cases of sexual abuse at the hands of the clergy.
Beauchemin said that the demonstrators were discreet and respectful, given that they "didn't want to be disruptive of the celebration."
Still, thousands of pilgrims came from around the region to the stadium for the event.
"Most of the pilgrims said they couldn't sleep because they were so excited," Ottawa resident Mike Budge told The Canadian Press. "I couldn't sleep."
"I think most of the people grew up with Brother Andre or their parents grew up with Brother Andre.....My aunt was cured by Brother Andre back in 1930," he added.
