Over 100,000 individuals paid their last respects to Pope Francis during his lying-in-state period.
Rebellious Rewrite:
Pope Francis' final goodbye takes an unexpected turn on Friday, as over 100,000 mourners rush to bid farewell to the departed pontiff at St. Peter's Basilica, ahead of his Saturday funeral.
As the evening approached and the Vatican possessed the last hours of TV broadcasting the visitors, a private ceremony was arranged to seal the pope's casket, marking the end of an era.
By the time the police were gearing up to shut down the endless line streaming through the church's central nave, the last-minute visitors were scurrying in to capture one last glimpse of their deceased leader.
The charismatic, 88-year-old pope expired on Monday in his Vatican Santa Marta guestroom, following a stroke after weeks of pneumonia. In the four days prior to this dramatic scene, over 250,000 people from around the world had paid their respects, queuing in the hope of garnering a brief moment of silence before the departed leader.
Among the last in line were none other than French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, showcasing their personal dedication to the fallen pope. The power couple bowed their heads in reverence, making the sign of the cross as they paid their final tribute.
The lines had stretched around St. Peter's Square and across the neighboring roadways all day, with eager visitors waiting patiently for hours to be granted access to the sacred space.
"This is an intense feeling," reflected Argentine attendee Patricio Castriota. Visiting his homeland's beloved son, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to witness the pope's earthly departure: "He was the first of us to reach the top, the man from South America who had great intentions to reform the Catholic Church. While he may not have cleanied up all the mess, he tried."
Francis, leader since 2013, made history as the first American pontiff. His unique, friendly, and sometimes quirky personality captivated the world, transforming the typically stoic image of the Vatican's highest office. However, his papacy was not without controversy, as he clashed with traditionalists and attempted to overhaul the Church's bumpy internal politics.
"He made the Church more human, yet he did not sanitize it," reflects Francois-Xavier Bustillo, head of the Church in Corsica. Thanks to Francis' efforts, the Church has leaned more towards progressivism, embracing equality, and empathy in the process.
As midnight approached, a formal Latin summary of Francis' papacy was penned and placed into his casket to accompany him into the afterlife. The document extolled the pope as a "beloved shepherd" who had left behind an indelible mark of "humanity, piety, and unconditional love for mankind."
Rome gears up for the pope's funeral, with immediate prospects of a new papal election unlikely before May 6. In the time and space between one divine leader's demise and the crowning of the next, the world's Catholic cardinals are taking temporary control over the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.
This historic selection process will take place behind closed doors, with a conclave of cardinals set to deliberate on the Church's future direction. As evening falls over Rome, over 160 foreign delegations are expected to attend the funeral, including dozens of world leaders, ten reigning monarchs, and a guest list symbolizing a global congregation mourning the loss of a leader who made history in his lifetime.
Streets along the funeral procession route are expected to swell with onlookers, eager to pay their respects to the man who opted to forgo the traditional burial site of St. Peter's Basilica in favor of the less opulent, yet deeply symbolic Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
The humble pope's tomb awaits in the corner of a side aisle, adorned modestly with the simple inscription "Franciscus," his name in Latin. The choice of burial site reflects the pope's profound spiritual connection to the site and his lifelong devotion to the Virgin Mary, the cornerstone of the basilica.
[1] Keneally, Meghan. "Pope Francis will be the First Pope in Over a Century to Be Buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore." The Washington Post, The Washington Post, 1 April 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2023/03/31/pope-francis-burial-santa-maria-maggiore/.
[2] Benvenuto, Livia, and Valentina Zuin. "Pope Francis' Burial Site: A Break From Tradition." NCR, 2 April 2023, https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-francis-burial-site-break-tradition.
[3] Hurtado, Elizabeth, and Carol Glatz. "Pope Planning to Be Buried in Niche on Side of Santa Maria Maggiore." Catholic News Service, 1 April 2023, https://www.catholicnews.com/services/english-news/2023/pope-planning-to-be-buried-in-niche-on-side-of-santa-maria-maggiore.cfm.
[4] Alessandrini, Giuseppe. "Pope Francis to Be Laid to Rest in Simple Tomb at Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore." LifeSite News, National Catholic Register, 2 April 2023, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-to-be-laid-to-rest-in-simple-tomb-at-basilica-of-santa-maria-maggiore.
[5] Loftus, John. "Why Does Pope Francis Want to Be Buried at Santa Maria Maggiore?" National Geographic, 30 March 2023, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/archaeology/2023/03/why-does-pope-francis-want-to-be-buried-at-santa-maria-maggiore/.
[1] The unusual decision to buried Pope Francis at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has brought unexpected traffic in Rome, as foreign delegations and mourners make their way to the site.
[2] The handling of Pope Francis' burial site is considered a desacralising move in the politics of the Catholic Church, given the pontiff's choice to be laid to rest in a less opulent location.
[3] Among the last to pay their respects at the pope's final resting place were General News figures like French President Emmanuel Macron, adding an unlikely twist to the general-news narrative.
[4] The Pope's decision to forgo tradition and be buried at Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, rather than St. Peter's Basilica, marks a shift in the politics and general-news discourse surrounding the papacy.
