A viewing is being held Thursday and Friday at Montreal City Hall for Father Emmett Johns, known as "Pops."

The visitation began at 4 p.m. Thursday and will go until 9 p.m. On Friday, the viewing hours run from 1 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

Mourners lined up Thursday to pay their last respects to the well loved Montreal do-gooder.

“I ran away since I was 17. I was using The Bunker, the services that he provided for me and my future wife. We both wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that man. And I never got to say thank you to him,” said one man, weeping.

The funeral for Johns will take place Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Basilica, with the Archbishop of Montreal, Christian Lepine, performing mass. Deacon Francois Lehman will deliver the homily.

Johns died Sunday, January 14, 2018, at the age of 89, and in the late 1980s devoted his time to helping homeless youth in Montreal.

He started out with a small van and offering hot dogs, but his organization, named Dans La Rue, grew.

In 1997 he opened a shelter called The Bunker that eventually expanded into a place where young people could take classes, participate in workshops on music, computers and more, as well as offering psychological support.

In April 2009, the day centre was renamed the Emmett Johns School.

Dans la Rue now employs 65 people and has 135 volunteers.

During his life, Johns was honoured numerous times, including a certificate of honourary membership from the Canadian Pediatric Society in 2007, the 2003 Quebec Institute of Psychological Health and Wellness Award and a humanitarian award from Quebec Association of Psychiatrists.

In October 2009, he was the recipient of Montreal’s Therese-Daviau Prize, given to members of the community who contributed to the quality of life of Montrealers.

He was also given honourary doctorates from Concordia, UQAM and McGill, as well as a medal from the Université de Montreal.

Johns was named a Grand Officer of National Order of Quebec in 2003 and a member of the Order of Canada in 1999.

This memorial video to Pops was played at the visitation: