St. Mark Catholic Church in Richmond holds mass for Orlando shooting victims

Many people in central Kentucky are paying tribute to all 49 victims of the Orlando attack. On Monday night in Richmond, St. Mark Roman Catholic Church held a special mass to honor the victims.

The Paschal candle sat prominently at the front of the sanctuary Monday night. Other than sitting at the altar during the Easter season until Pentacost, the candle is typically lit only for baptisms - or for funerals.

"Those women and men who were mowed down on Sunday morning were all - all - made in the image and likeness of the God we profess," Father Jim Sichko told the congregation.

They read the names of lives lost in Orlando, prayed for family members left behind and for the country.

From the pulpit, Father Jim said that if certain steps - including a ban on assault weapons like the AR-15 used in Sunday's slaughter - are not taken, then more senseless tragedies like the shooting in Orlando will occur.

"My prayer today is that God will have mercy on America," Sichko said.

More than six dozen people showed up to stand united with Orlando.

Among those was Paula Maionchi.

"I'm an American," she told WKYT's Garrett Wymer. "And I refuse to be intimidated by fanatics."

The service ended by singing words so fitting at a time like this: "Let there be peace on Earth. / And let it begin with me."

The church also took up an offering that Sichko said will be sent to the diocese in Orlando to be used for its work with the LGBT community there.