Many mourners, but even more curious tourists on Sint-Pietersplein

A sea of ​​people rushes to Sint-Pietersplein on Monday morning, where the dull tones of the death bells resound. Rome, the day after Easter, the most important Catholic party, wakes up with the news that Pope Franciscus died. The flowers of the Easter celebration are still on the stairs of St. Peter’s Basilica, the plastic seats on the square have not yet been cleaned up.

The atmosphere that hangs is a strange mixture of the grief of grieving believers and the curiosity of tourists who want to immortalize a historic moment with selfies for the famous St. Peter’s Basilica. A day before, a strongly weakened and tired Pope Franciscus has spoken here the ‘Urbi et Orbi’, the blessing for the city (Rome) and the world.

Alejandro Medina (30), a young seminarist from Mexico, was allowed to hand out hosties as a priest in training on Sunday during the Easter service. « It was so special to see the Pope say the blessing, and now he is no longer there, » says Medina, with a rosary in his right hand, to support his prayer. « I am glad that Francis is now with God, after he has completed his task with heart and soul. At the same time I am sad. The substitute of Christ on Earth is no longer. »

Medina says to pray for the newly deceased Pope, but « also for unity within the church. » Francis represented the more progressive branch in terms of social themes, which was criticized for him from the more conservative wing. « But I don’t like talking about different beliefs, we Catholics all belong to the same church, » says the Mexican Medina, a member of the extremely conservative priest congregation legionaries of Christ. « The holy year that we are now experiencing is dominated by hope. God is with us, and He will give us a bright future. »

Photos Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters, Andrew Medichini/AP

Impressive

Daniel Callejo (33) and Augustin Torres (32), the first one deacon and doctoral in philosophy from Spain, the second one priest and student of dogmatic theology from Mexico, St. Peter’s Basilica steps under a bright blue sky (33) and Augustin Torres (33). « We knew that the pope was seriously ill, but his death surprised me, because a month ago it went a lot worse with him, » says Callejo.

Torres finds it impressive that the pope still held numerous obligations in the last few days, not only the papal blessing on Easter Day, « but especially his visit earlier this week to the prisoners in a Roman prison. This pope was very close to the most marginalized people, with the poor and the most vulnerable, » said the Mexican priestster.

« He not only asked attention for them, but also put his own words into action. By going to prison himself, or through the works of Mercy of the Church, for example for homeless, during his pontificate. » According to Augustin Torres, those deeds characterize how very Francis gave everything to carry out his assignment: « And until the last sob. »

According to Daniel Callejo, the Spaniard, the Catholic Church now ends up in a difficult moment: « Certainly for us, here in the West. Although I immediately find that young people find their way to the faith easier again. People, including young people, will always continue to long for meaning in life. »

Pilgrims

In shorts, and with sturdy hiking shoes, on the floor in a corner next to the exit of St. Peter’s Basilica, Natalia and Marek Petrik, both thirty, are tired and somewhat disappointed. The couple from Slovakia just walked from Tuscany to Rome in two weeks, a pilgrimage to reach the Vatican City during the Jubel year, and then perhaps see the Pope.

« We were paceed. This morning we arrived in Rome, to hear in a park of an Italian man that the Pope has just died, » says Natalia Petrik Sad, with an envelope with two freshly signed certificates that she and her husband had reached Rome. « I liked Franciscus, he was really a man of the people who was close to all people and was open in mind, » adds Marek, who could meet the Pope in 2021, during his visit to Slovakia: « I feel blessed that at least I experienced that then. »

« I hope that the new pope will look like Francis, and that he will not become too dogmatic, » Natalia adds. « And that he does not exclude other people, for example because they belong to the LGBTI community. »

Also in shorts, and in the company of her husband and their two young children, Hayley Williams (42) stands from Wales between the crowd on Sint-Pietersplein. « Curious, but not at all religious, » the woman describes herself, with her family on a city trip in Rome. « Nevertheless, this morning we have changed our plans for today, to be here. Francis was a man who gave hope to a lot of people. We would like to give that message to our children. That an important leader died today. »

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