Mark Marchand II - Ceremonial Funeral - Trinidad - Pt. 1

Mark Marchand II (born Maurice Mark Marchand) was shot and killed by a masked assassin on the 4th February, 2005, in the Caribbean Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, at the young age of 25 years, for reasons that have remained an enigma, despite an initial (published) suspicion that was never factually confirmed, and, thus, to logically and only conclude:- his being in the wrong place at the wrong time and used as a "sacrificial lamb" in sending a message to an apparently-wanted person, on whose property he was at in the company of other acquaintances at the time of the shooting, on account of his receiving a call to pass by the said property to be part of the planning arrangements for a group attendance ("lime") at a carnival party the following evening at a popular social-gathering venue, which, because of his death, never occurred.. Mark, a most gracious and handsome young man, was highly loved by all who knew him and, also, a highly-accomplished person, was given a splendid and "stately" Ceremonial Funeral (with a two-and-a-half hour tribute-service held at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Diego Martin, Trinidad, followed by another two-hour plus entombment ceremony). His thoroughly-preserved (embalmed) body lies in a beautiful, high-grade, non-corrosive, bronze casket that rests, in an appropriate grand manner, in a sealed underground vaulted crypt built within a magnificent pantheon (mausoleum). The Mark Marchand II Pantheon (mausoleum), with its sombre grandeur, is in the classical design of a Grecian temple with a portico of columns of the "Doric Order" under a pediment. It is, indeed, an architectural jewel, whose historic design is an ancient marvel in architecture. Its overall design gives the viewer a sense of awe. The pantheon's main entry chamber is a high-ceiling room under a central dome that was consecrated on the day of Mark's entombment from originally being a Muslim burial shrine into a Christian chapel with a requiem altar in that two-hour plus ceremony. Mark's Pantheon is nestled in Trinidad's most prestigious and famed cemetery (the de La Peyrouse Cemetery). This cemetery, with its monumental structures (like the Mark Marchand II Pantheon), along with housing the final resting places of many pioneering and other prominent citizens, is an important cemetery, historically speaking, designated a National Historic Landmark. However, notwithstanding his passing on at such a very young age, Mark definitely lived a full and accomplished life that saw him become an outstanding achiever and one who had the opportunity to travel to major western European destinations, such as London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Nice, Antibes, Juan-Les-Pins, Cannes, St. Raphael, St. Tropez, Cap Ferrat, Villefranche, Monaco, Menton and Rome, visiting world-renown and historical sites and attractions in these places, in addition to experiencing the life of the rich and famous of Europe. Everything of major substance that is to be experienced in these destinations were experienced by Mark. Mark's European travels definitely left an indelible impression on him and also brought about a high level of understanding and appreciation for the arts and classical history, as well as a keen appreciation for the finer things in life. Mark was known to be a very kind, affable, loving, lively, and ambitious person, who was highly cultured, respectful, resourceful, neat, and dignified. There was a distinct and unique aura around Mark that was tremendous, overwhelming, and certainly most captivating!!! When assessing Mark in such highly and favo(u)rable manner, it is no wonder why he was given such a stately funeral with all the ceremonial trappings befitting and associated with royalty, in terms of the type of funeral service with its pre-dominant regal classical music, unique order of service, and special features, including his being shoulder-borne by bearers and using a specially-built, 4-feet high, sovereign-designed catafalque draped in black-&-gold that was placed in front of the chancel at the nave to rest his bronze casket on top of. There was a memorial shrine dedicated to Mark, incorporating photo images of him and numerous white flowers, that was set up in the right-hand side of the narthex - that is, in the area just as one enters a church. Mourners attending the Ceremonial Funeral Service were each presented with a most attractive full-colo(u)r souvenir funeral programme in booklet format containing in excess of 50 colour photographs of Mark and a silhouette image of him on the back cover. It was truly felt that because of his accomplishments and, inasmuch as he would no longer be around to achieve more, the least that could be done was to honour him with a Ceremonial Funeral - the first of its kind to be specifically planned a private citizen in Trinidad & Tobago, and definitely a first that has yet to be organised in most countries. It was, indeed, that unique!