It was a raucous and colourful celebration of faith, served up with gospel music, dancing and a small side order of politics.

Toronto’s Jesus in the City parade made a brief and seemingly unscheduled stop in front of a newly opened Chick-fil-A restaurant on Yonge and Bloor Sts. on Saturday afternoon, to pray for a U.S.-based company they feel should enjoy the right to religious freedom in Canada.

Controversial Rev. Charles McVety led a prayer asking “that we have peace and security and Chick-fil-A has freedom as any other business in this country to operate.”

The grand opening of the first Toronto location of the chain restaurant Friday was met with colourful protest by members of the LGBTQ community and allies — criticizing a company they say has a history of supporting anti-LGBTQ causes. Meanwhile, long lines of customers were eager to try out the popular American fare. The operator of the downtown location has pledged that “all Torontonians” and their opinions will be welcome.

Despite the slightly political turn, during Saturday’s event, parade founder Rev. Ayanna Solomon had stressed that politics is not meant to play any part in this particular parade and that it can in fact interfere with the unity they strive for at the event, now in its 20th year.

“There are several different opinions within the Christian faith,” said Solomon, speaking with the Star before the walk and dancing kicked off. “I tell them no political agenda. If you have that it’s another event. It takes away from our worship and our purpose. My desire was to worship him with the colour and dance and music.”

That love for music and colour was on full display, with hundreds marching, dancing, singing and waving banners and signs during about an hour-long procession through a downtown loop that started at Queen’s Park.

Leading up the front was John Hodge, who has played the role of Jesus 17 times. Hodge said he got the part because the night before the first parade they hadn’t found somebody to step into the role.

“My wife had left a note saying they want you to be Jesus, can you make a cross?” said Hodge. “So I got up the next morning got the chainsaw out on our farm and made this cross out of cedar rails.”

The key to making the role work, said Hodge, is using eye contact and hand gestures to connect with people and project love.

This year’s parade came under scrutiny after it was revealed that Ontario’s Conservative government provided a grant of more than $12,000 for the event. McVety, who has been outspoken against same-sex marriage and the new sex-ed curriculum, is a friend of Premier Doug Ford.

On Friday, the Star’s May Warren spoke with protesters who showed up for the grand opening. They carried rainbow flags and colourful signs with slogans including “cluck-off” and “Chick-fil-A is Full-A homophobia.”

Helena Poison told Warren the goal was “to be visibly queer and show our support” and raise awareness to people in line. “I’d like to think that a lot of the people don’t know” about the company’s history, Poison said.

On Saturday, a handful of protesters included United Church of Canada minister Cheri DiNovo. “The vast majority of Christians in Canada support our LGBTQ children,” said DiNovo, who during her past career as a provincial MPP took part in the successful fight to have conversion therapy outlawed across Ontario. Conversion therapy, as it is called, is a treatment approach meant to change someone’s sexual orientation. It’s been widely rejected by medical professionals.

DiNovo told the Star that Chick-fil-A is effectively supporting that form of therapy through financial contributions made by the company to groups who engage in or accept the practice.

A spokesperson for Chick-fil-A Inc., who witnessed the discussion with DiNovo, made sure to arrange for and send a swift one-line response. “These claims are absolutely false,” the spokesperson said.

Chick-fil-A has plans to open 15 locations across the Greater Toronto Area within five years.

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In recent years, the company has said it has no political agenda regarding family policy, after the founder’s son sparked a backlash with remarks about same-sex marriage.

The operator of the Toronto location, Wilson Yang, sent Warren a statement promising that “all Torontonians” and their opinions are welcome at the new store.

“Our focus is on offering a welcoming and respectful environment for our guests and team members, and we encourage people to give us a try,” the statement read.