The Solemn and moving celebration was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re joined by some 250 Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, priests, and consecrated religious.
The funeral mass was also attended by heads of state, including US Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella, Britain’s Prince William, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. Malta is represented by President Miriam Spiteri Debono, Prime Minister Robert Abela, and Opposition Leader Bernard Grech.
Thousands of heartbroken mourners, each one carrying their own stories of love and loss, converged upon the public square from every corner of the globe, their arrival beginning at the break of dawn, around 5 am, as they eagerly awaited the solemn public Mass set to unfold five hours later.
In his homily, the Dean of the College of Cardinals delved into the many highlights of his remarkable and intense 12 years of Petrine Ministry marked by his style of closeness to the people and spontaneity of his gestures until the very end, but most importantly, his deep love for the Church.
Referencing the Gospel passage where Christ charges Peter with shepherding His flock, Cardinal Re remarked that “Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life,” in which he “followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd” He recalled how his decision to take the name Francis “immediately appeared to indicate the pastoral plan and style on which he wanted to base his pontificate, seeking inspiration from the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi.”
With his temperament and form of pastoral leadership, and through his resolute personality, said Cardinal Re, “he immediately made his mark on the governance of the Church.”
“He was a Pope among the people”, with an open heart towards everyone, especially the marginalised, the least among us, but “also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church.”
With his characteristic vocabulary and language, he always sought to shed light on the problems of our time, with the wisdom of the Gospel, encouraging Christians to live out their faith amid these challenges and contradictions, which he liked to describe as an “epochal change.”
Environmental stewardship, expressed in the Encyclical ‘Laudato si’’, Cardinal Re continue, further widened the scope of his moral leadership, stressing the interconnectedness of all creation and our shared responsibility for the planet.
In times of global violence and war, Francis’ voice stood out as one of peace, always insisting that “war is a defeat for humanity”.
The Pope was faced with the raging wars of recent years, Cardinal Re notes, and he “incessantly raised his voice” to call for peace.
“War, he said, results in the death of people and the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. War always leaves the world worse than it was before: it is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone,” Cardinal Re says quoting the Pope.
“Build bridges, not walls” was something Pope Francis repeated many times, he adds.
Cardinal Re’s words on the Pope’s efforts and appeals for world peace drew wide applause from the crowds present.
As many as 200,000 people attended.
The late pontiff was laid to eternal rest in the revered Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, or Saint Mary Major, a magnificent sanctuary among the four papal basilicas that grace the heart of Rome.
Pope Francis passionately reimagined and streamlined the sacred rites of the Vatican for the upcoming funeral, where not only presidents and royals will pay their respects, but convicts and migrants will also poignantly usher him to his final resting place, weaving a profound narrative of inclusivity and reverence.
The pope fervently envisioned the ceremony as a profound expression of his papacy’s priorities, passionately striving to illuminate his identity as a humble priest, rather than a figure of immense religious authority.
Vatican News / Ansa / Euronews