Worldwide grief for Pope Francis: head of state united in Rome
Worldwide grief for Pope Francis: head of state united in Rome
On May 1, 2025, the funeral service for Pope Francis took place on St. Peter's Square in Rome, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. The celebrations attracted around 250,000 people who had the last honor for the Pope. Heads of state and believers came together from all over the world to say goodbye and to honor the life of the late Pontifex. The events took place in bright sunshine, which gave the difficult mood a touch of light.
The high-ranking personalities were US President Donald Trump with his wife Melania, the Italian head of government Giorgia Meloni, Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, France President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier were also present, while the Hungarian head of state Viktor Orban and the British Premier Keir Strandmer accompanied the event with their women. Javier Milei, the President of Argentina, who had previously been critical of Francis, was also affected after his death.an emotional farewell
The funeral service included a requiem fair that lasted about two hours and was accompanied by applause over St. Peter's Square. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re described the late Pope as a "man with great human warmth" and reported on the numerous condolences that arrived from all over the world, including the Chinese government, which campaigned for the relationship with the Vatican Due to the presence of Donald Trump,
security measures were particularly high, with 10,000 emergency services, including snipers and anti-drone technology. The Pope's coffin was driven through Rome in the Papamobil, past historical sites before it was buried in the Santa Maria Maggiore church. This procession was accompanied by a funeral procession of the heads of state.
a day of grief and change
The burial in the Santa Maria Maggiore took place in front of the “Salus Populi Romani” Marien icon and marked the beginning of nine mourning days, in which trade fairs are held every day in St. Peter's Basilica. Vladimir Putin, who did not take part in the funeral, remained a remarkable absence in the middle of the internationally invited guests. Poland even declared the day of funeral to be a national day of mourning.
In parallel to the funeral fairs, a general congregation of the cardinals took place on Friday, in which 33 out of 149 cardinals made contributions to the topics of the church and the world. In St. Peter's Basilica, around 150,000 people proved to the Pope until the closure on Friday afternoon. The process of choice of pope will begin in a conclave between 5 and 10.The heated mix of grief and perspective on changes in the Catholic Church after the death of Francis reflects the deep emotions that were noticeable during these days in the Vatican and beyond. The late Pope leaves a legacy of peace, which was recognized by many heads of state, including Israel's President Isaac Herzog.
For people in Rome and the believers worldwide, the grief for Pope Francis remains, as well as hope for a new direction in the Catholic Church. The coming days will be decisive for the choice of his successor and the future of the faith community.
Für weiterführende Informationen zu den Feierlichkeiten lesen Sie auch die Berichte von fr.de, zdf.de and Vaticannews.va .
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| Ort | Petersplatz, Rom, Italien |
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