At a Montreal church, 300 Syrian Armenians who left everything behind as refugees were treated to a bit of familiar comforts, and a chance to meet the local community, CBC News reports.

The St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Cathedral in Outremont held a special mass and lunch to welcome the newest members of its Diaspora in Montreal on Sunday, January 10.

"This opportunity is one way to get to know each other, and talk to each other, and see how we can help them, what can be done for them," said Varouj Margossian, parish committee counsellor.

The church is part of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada, which has co-sponsored more than 1,000 Syrian Armenian refugees, and will support new applications.

It took three days to prepare the food to feed the newcomers. Help came in other forms, like practical advice, a kind word, or marriage arrangements.