Trump, Selenskyj and many tears
The funeral celebration for Pope Francis It’s just over a few minutes. There is an enormous shadow over St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square. A cloud covers the spring sun, as if the sky somehow wanted to play in this dreary, spectacular major event. At that moment, the white papamobil with the Pope’s coffin begins its journey from the Vatican. Applauden cardinals and vatican staff. The clapping of the hands of Romans, tourists and tourists will accompany the coffin for the entire six -kilometer journey. « Viva Il Papa! » Call some or « Grazie Francesco ».
Francis was a Pope of the people. This became clear on the evening of his election twelve years ago when he simply welcomed the gathered on St. Peter’s Square with « Buonasera ». Baths in the crowd, for example at the World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, when the Papstauto almost got stuck in the crowd, became a picture of the pontificate. Now the Pope is on his last trip through Rome. The streets line 150,000 people. It goes past the Colosseum, the people stand behind the barriers. You want to catch a glimpse of the wooden coffin or take a photo with your smartphone with an outstretched arm. The closer the papamobile of the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore approaches, where Francis wanted to be buried, the stronger the applause becomes.
Pope Francis wanted « funeral of a pastor and not a ruler »
Whether Francis, who called himself the « Pope from the other end of the world », would have wanted this effort? Actually the Pope had that « Funeral of a pastor and not a ruler » And even have that fixed in the liturgical provisions for his burial. The wooden coffin is simple, including the grief fair celebrated by the 91 -year -old cardinal dean Giovanni Battista rebelated without a larger brimborium. « He was a Pope of the people and had an open heart for everyone, » says the cardinal in his sermon about Francis. The « intensive pontificate » touched hearts and heads. When RE reminds the first apostolic journey from Francis in 2013 to the migrants on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, applause in the crowd.
Despite such an intimate moments, the funeral celebration on Saturday at St. Peter’s Square. Around 250,000 people came to the dead mass, around 50,000 of them on St. Peter’s Square. In the end, Francis moved the masses again. From Wednesday to Friday around 250 000 people said goodbye to St. Peter’s Basilica From his laid out body. Now there are hundreds of thousands again. The clergy took a seat to the left of the altar, 220 cardinals in red, the bishops in purple. The state men and women sit on the right, all in black. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz came from Germany. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also there. US President Donald Trump is the only one in a blue suit in his chair in the front row.
Trump and Selenskyj meet at Pope Fairy celebration in Rome
During his lifetime, Francis has caused strong reactions, for example, with attempts to reform in the church, but also with often controversial words, as well as outrage. As a dead man, he now succeeds a last coup. Before the fair started, Trump and the Ukrainian President meet Wolodymyr Selenskyj For 15 minutes in St. Peter’s Basilica. Both simply opposite their chair. It is your first encounter after the scandal in the White House at the end of February. As it is said, Selenskyj Trump is said to have made a new proposal for an armistice. Is this the decisive step for peace in Ukraine, of all people in St. Peter’s Basilica in the face of the late Pontifex?
Twelve monarchs have come, a total of 52 state heads and delegations from 166 countries. Argentina’s President Javier Milei, who once referred to his compatriot Francis as « idiots » and « representatives of evil on earth », can sit in the front row, according to the Vatican Protocol. When Selenskyj appears on the large screens, there is applause. Previously, companions were allowed to say goodbye to the Pope’s body. Among them is also the « personal health assistant » by Francis, Massimiliano Strappetti. He kisses the Pope’s coffin, next to him is King Felipe VI. from Spain. As Argentine media report, Mauro Bergoglio, nephew of the Pope, son of his brother Oscar, also made it to St. Peter’s Square. The nurse from Buenos Aires apparently could not afford the trip, after all, a travel agency jumped in and covered the costs.
Pope’s coffin carrier wear the body in basilica
Wowy organ music and chants at the dead mass across the square, the words of the general decree on the streets continue on the streets to the tiber. Everywhere the organizers have set up for the groomed large screens and loudspeaker systems. When RE keeps the host up at the fair, it is almost dead. Only the Roman seagulls, the radio units of some of the 4,000 policemen offered and a cell phone signal can be heard. At the entrance to the Piazza, two exhausted teenagers lay on the floor and rest with their eyes closed. A boy with red « Minecraft » t-shirt controls a remote-controlled car through the crowd. Nobody gets upset, many cross themselves. Italian civil protection distributes water bottles. « Children first, » it says.
It is shortly before 1 p.m., the Papamobil with the coffin has arrived at Santa Maria Maggiore. 14 coffin carriers carry the Pope’s body inside the basilica, which Francis chose the final resting place. Here he prayed dozens of times in front of the Marien icon of the « Maria Salus Populi Romani », which is worshiped in Rome as a patron saint. In front of the chapel with the icon, the coffin carriers pause briefly. Four children lay two baskets with white roses under the altar. Here, in the left aisle, the Pope is now buried in a private ceremony. “Franciscus” is simply engraved on his stone grave.
