By
NIGPOST Editorial Team
Date:
April 26, 2025
In an emotional farewell that united world leaders, citizens, and the faithful, Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday in Rome, leaving behind a powerful legacy of compassion, humility, and inclusiveness.
The world bid a heartfelt goodbye to Pope Francis as more than 400,000 mourners packed St Peter’s Square and the streets of Rome on April 26, 2025, to honor the “pope among the people.”
His plain wooden coffin, symbolizing a life of simplicity, was carried through hushed crowds following a solemn Vatican funeral attended by numerous global leaders, including US President Donald Trump.
The final resting place for the first Latin American pope, beloved for his tireless advocacy for the poor, is at the historic Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica. His marble tomb bears a single inscription: “Franciscus,” a testament to his deep humility.
Mourners from all corners of the globe gathered to pay tribute. Maria Vicente, a 52-year-old from Guatemala, wept while clutching a rosary as the pope’s coffin entered the basilica, recalling the profound impact Francis had on everyday people.
Inside, the atmosphere was reverent as white-gloved pallbearers bore the cypress coffin, while children laid flower baskets by the altar and a choir filled the basilica with hymns.
More than 50 heads of state, including Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and French President Emmanuel Macron, attended the service. Trump and Zelensky notably met privately for the first time since their Oval Office dispute earlier this year.
In his homily, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re praised Francis as a man with “an open heart” who dedicated his papacy to fostering a Catholic Church that welcomed all. His vision, Battista Re emphasized, was a “home with its doors always open,” a Church deeply connected to the realities of the modern world.
Throughout his 12-year reign, Francis steered the Church toward a more compassionate and inclusive direction, championing marginalized communities and calling for urgent action on global injustices, from the plight of migrants to environmental destruction.
The funeral also marked the beginning of nine days of official Vatican mourning. Afterward, cardinals under the age of 80 will convene for a conclave to elect the next pope.
Francis’s commitment to “building bridges, not walls” became a recurring theme of his papacy. His defense of refugees, displaced persons, and marginalized communities earned him admiration worldwide. Despite political disagreements — notably criticizing Trump’s migrant policies — Trump lauded Francis as “a good man who loved the world.”
Security during the funeral was tight, with fighter jets on standby and snipers positioned across Rome. Red-robed cardinals and bishops adorned one side of the altar while dignitaries from around the world, including former President Joe Biden, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, sat opposite.
Notably, Israel’s representation was limited to its Vatican ambassador following Francis’s recent criticisms of its Gaza actions, while China, lacking formal diplomatic ties with the Vatican, sent no envoy.
For many, Pope Francis’s death served as a moment of global unity. Italian mourner Francesco Morello, 58, poignantly noted, “He could not bring them together in life but managed in death.”
The 266th pope passed away at 88 after suffering a stroke and heart failure, less than a month after being hospitalized for pneumonia. His final public act was a heartfelt Easter Sunday blessing, urging the world to protect the vulnerable and marginalized — a message that had defined his papacy.
Pope Francis’s progressive stance on social issues — from supporting communion for divorced believers to blessing same-sex couples — challenged traditionalists but endeared him to millions who saw him as a pope truly attuned to the modern world.
From his first moments as pope, Jorge Bergoglio — who chose the name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi — sought a “poor Church for the poor.” Eschewing the grand papal apartments for a modest guesthouse, he lived out the values he preached.
In Buenos Aires, his birthplace, thousands gathered to watch the funeral proceedings. Lara Amado, a 25-year-old Argentine, reflected, “The pope showed us there’s another way to live the faith.”
As the Vatican enters a period of reflection and mourning, Pope Francis’s enduring message of peace, openness, and compassion continues to echo across the globe.
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