Funeral service for the Pope: “Ciao Papa” – world is saying goodbye to Francis

The world said goodbye to Pope Francis. The Argentine -born, who had led the Catholic Church for more than twelve years, is now buried in his favorite basilica in Rome, the Marienkirche Santa Maria Maggiore. Only his Latin name is on his simple grave: Franciscus. Not more.

Previously there had been a moving funeral service on St. Peter’s Square with state guests from all over the world and a quarter of a million more participants. In the end, the coffin was easily erected again: the Pontifex should be able to look at its city one last time after liturgical rite. There was also a lot of applause – and also some tears. “Ciao Papa”, some called – Papa is also called Pope in Italian.

400,000 people in Rome on their feet

Around 150,000 people persecuted the subsequent funeral procession over six kilometers through the streets of Rome. People crowded on the sidewalks and the windows next to the street. The Italian capital hadn’t seen anything like this for more than a century.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led the Requiem on St. Peter’s Square for a little more than two hours, preached: “He touched his hearts.” Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier led the German mourning delegation and called Francis a man of mercy who had exemplified this himself.

In addition to the political prominence, monarchs, more than 200 cardinals and a good 4,000 other clergymen, around 250,000 people gathered close to the forecast of the mighty basilica and in the surrounding streets. He was full before the start of the fair. The first mourners were left on St. Peter’s Square at around 5:30 a.m.

Subtle appeal in sermon to Trump and Co.

Cardinal re described the deceased as a Pope with “great human warmth and deeply sensitive”. The church man told about Francis’ work, of which commitment to the poor and weak, for peace as well as injustice and war.

This could be understood as a subtle appeal in the direction of the powerful of this world. Some of them were on St. Peter’s Square, such as US President Donald Trump, who was sitting in the front row very close to France President Emmanuel Macron.

The Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj took a few places, whose country has been defending itself against the Russian attack war for more than three years. Trump and Selenskyj met in St. Peter’s Basilica, very close to the coffin, for a short conversation.

The hundreds of politicians from more than 160 delegations caused a state of emergency in Rome. Extreme security measures prevailed mainly because of Trump, who landed at Air Force One at Air Force One at Air Force One. Immediately after the end of the funeral service, Trump and his people hurried to the airport.

Several streets were closed. Around 10,000 emergency services were offered to ensure that the major event runs smoothly. Helicopter circled over the city. The entire area around the Vatican was strictly guarded. Snipers, dog squadrons, patrols on the river Tiber, police officers and soldiers with anti-drone technology and other special units were used. The Italian army was also on standby with fighter jets.

The many state guests took a seat on the side of the altar. President Javier Milei from Francis’ Heimatland Argentina was sitting at the front. In addition, the Italians were President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Steinmeier and the executive Chancellor Olaf Scholz came from Germany. Many international politicians used the funeral service to talk to each other.

Hundreds of thousands of people live fair

The requiem attended a crowd of people in bright sunshine and spring -like temperatures. When St. Peter’s Square was full, people also lined up in the cathedral via Della Conciliazione. On the approximately 500 meter long boulevard and up to the Engelsburg on the Tiber, they followed the funeral service via huge monitors. Linse walls were set up in several places in the city.

A lot of specially used paramedics ensured that people were helped who stood in the sun for too long or became bad.

Funeral procession by Rome with coffin in the papamobil

After that, the Pope’s coffin was placed on an open papamobile that brought Francis on his last earthly journey. On the closed streets, the convoy first drove over the Tiber, then through the historical center of Rome, over the Piazza Venezia, past the Roman Forum and the most famous symbol of the city, the Colosseum.

The eternal city has not seen such a funeral procession for a long time. Francis has not been buried in the Vatican grottos in St. Peter’s Basilica for more than 120 years, as his predecessors Johannes Paul II and Benedict XVI. Only seven of his predecessors are in Santa Maria Maggiore, most recently Clemens IX. buried there – in 1669.

Final resting place outside the Vatican

When arriving at the Santa Maria Maggiore church, applause broke out among the gathered people. The funeral took place in a relatively small and non-public framework: with cardinals, but also with Francis’ close employees and his personal nurse.

At the Pope’s request, there were also some arms and homeless people who were able to say goodbye to Francis. They waited for the coffin with white roses on the levels to the basilica. The Pontifex, which was born on December 17, 1936 when Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, had always campaigned for the suspended and exterminated.

In a document that was placed in his coffin after Catholic rite, it says: “Francis left everyone an admirable testimony of humanity, the sacred lifestyle and universal fatherhood.”