(ANSA) – ROME, APR 24 – Pope Francis represented humility and hope, faithful told reporters as they paid heir respects at his lying in state in St Peter’s Thursday.
Flags from Portugal, Cuba, Argentina, were among the many carried on the shoulders of the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.
They come from all over the world to pay homage to the body of Pope Francis.
Vukani and Michael arrived this morning from South Africa, from Durban and Cape Town respectively, they too proudly wear their flag as if it were a cape.
“We didn’t even check in, we came straight to the square”, they say.
Their 14-hour journey was already scheduled, “we were supposed to be here anyway for the canonization of ‘teen Internet saint’ Carlo Acutis. “Even though it was suspended, we are lucky to be in Rome and be part of this historic moment”, says Vukani who saw Pope Francis in Mozambique and Mauritius, while Michael did in Ireland and Rome.
“He has never been to South Africa, close yes, but it doesn’t matter because we went to him”, adds the young man from Cape Town who underlines how Jorge Mario Bergoglio represented “humility, simplicity and hope”.
Just like the two friends, in Italy together with a group of ten people, Ines and Bartosh, from Poland, came here for the canonization of Carlo Acutis, in the company of their four children.
“He gave us a beautiful image of God”, they say, they who also have John Paul II in their hearts.
And they add: “We waited in line to enter the basilica only for an hour, they had told us over two hours but it was a surprise, it didn’t take us long”.
Instead, a family from Cremona who, as soon as they heard of the death of the pontiff, decided to reach the capital, “the Pope embodied the values ;;that Jesus preached”, they say.
Meanwhile, the queues around the basilica have not ended since this morning, many groups in the square, including many scouts from different cities and nations, such as Orane and Diane from France who met the pontiff in Lisbon for the WYD in 2023, or the Agesci from Catania who are holding an image of Francis in their hands. (ANSA).
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Flags from Portugal, Cuba, Argentina, were among the many carried on the shoulders of the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.
They come from all over the world to pay homage to the body of Pope Francis.
Vukani and Michael arrived this morning from South Africa, from Durban and Cape Town respectively, they too proudly wear their flag as if it were a cape.
“We didn’t even check in, we came straight to the square”, they say.
Their 14-hour journey was already scheduled, “we were supposed to be here anyway for the canonization of ‘teen Internet saint’ Carlo Acutis. “Even though it was suspended, we are lucky to be in Rome and be part of this historic moment”, says Vukani who saw Pope Francis in Mozambique and Mauritius, while Michael did in Ireland and Rome.
“He has never been to South Africa, close yes, but it doesn’t matter because we went to him”, adds the young man from Cape Town who underlines how Jorge Mario Bergoglio represented “humility, simplicity and hope”.
Just like the two friends, in Italy together with a group of ten people, Ines and Bartosh, from Poland, came here for the canonization of Carlo Acutis, in the company of their four children.
“He gave us a beautiful image of God”, they say, they who also have John Paul II in their hearts.
And they add: “We waited in line to enter the basilica only for an hour, they had told us over two hours but it was a surprise, it didn’t take us long”.
Instead, a family from Cremona who, as soon as they heard of the death of the pontiff, decided to reach the capital, “the Pope embodied the values ;;that Jesus preached”, they say.
Meanwhile, the queues around the basilica have not ended since this morning, many groups in the square, including many scouts from different cities and nations, such as Orane and Diane from France who met the pontiff in Lisbon for the WYD in 2023, or the Agesci from Catania who are holding an image of Francis in their hands. (ANSA).
Read article…
