250,000 believers said goodbye to Pope Franziskus – Diepresse.com in St. Peter’s Basilation
Until the coffin was closed with the late Pontifex on Friday evening, more believers came to the church than expected. Austria’s President and Chancellor also arrived in Rome on Friday.
According to the Vatican, around 250,000 people have been saying goodbye to Pope since Wednesday Francis taken. So came with the deceased until the coffin was closed Pontifex At 7:00 p.m. on Friday more believers to the church than expected, as the Holy Chair announced. The open coffin of Francis’ predecessor Benedict XVI. had visited around 195,000 believers.
Also Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) Pope Francis performed the last honor on Friday in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Francis will « go into history, » said van der Bellen.
« Every pomp was away »
« It is important for my wife and me to say goodbye to Francis. He was a very important Pope in several ways. He was the head of the Catholics but every pomp was far away.
« Francis was a personality who really told us a lot through his behavior, through his statements. I was lucky enough to meet him twice.
For Stocker, Francis was « a bridge builder » that he would be missing from the world. « Austria mourn with the Catholics and many people around the world around Francis, who will be remembered as a very human pope. » (APA)
