Luc Frieden: « Pope brings people together beyond his death »
The Grand Ducal Pair and Prime Minister Luc Frieden represented Luxembourg at the Funeral service for Pope Francis. In Rome, the head of government spoke to the « Luxemburger Word » about what will remain of the late church leader in his view.
Luc Frieden, how did you experience the funeral service for Pope Francis?
It was a very impressive, historical event, for a few reasons. The Pope was unique in his simple way how he lived. And how he brought the church close to humans. This was seen in this funeral. The hundreds of thousands of people who stood on St. Peter’s Square and far beyond impressed me as much as the fact that government heads from almost 100 countries were here that are very different denominational. I was sitting in a row with the Jordanian king and the Greek prime minister, the current and the former American president. It was in the spirit of the Pope that he managed to bring people and religions together beyond his death.
Did you also speak to the former US president?
At the funeral service for Pope Francis, Marjolijne and Luc Frieden (VL) had the opportunity to speak briefly to Joe and Jil Biden. Photo: SIP
Yes, I was very happy, President Biden, whom I met at the NATO summit in Washington and see his wife again. He is a great friend of Europe. In addition, every continent was represented. Everyone came to Rome with their thoughts. It is to be hoped that the spirit of unity and humanity will be taken home by such an event.
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You have also been able to experience the Pope personally. What do you remember?
For me personally, two pictures get stuck from him. The first is my audience during his visit in Luxembourg, which was very simple and impressive. The other is that on Easter, on the day before his death, he donated his blessing on St. Peter’s Square, where we were now standing. In retrospect, that was actually his farewell greeting to the people he liked to like. He was not an imaginary Pope who retired to his palace, but one who went under the people. These are pictures that will stay – like the coffee he was in Luxembourg, which was actually typical of this « cool » pope. I hope that the conclave will choose a Pope who also has a sensitivity to the problems of the whole world and not only looks at it from his Roman perspective.
