WATCH: Elderly nun, close friend of Pope Francis, breaks protocol to bid a tearful farewell
Breaking traditional protocol, Sister Geneviève Jeanningros, an elderly French-Argentine nun and close friend of Pope Francis, was seen bidding a tearful farewell to the late pontiff inside the restricted area where his coffin is placed at St. Peter's Basilica.
The emotional moment was captured from the footage of Pope's first day of lying-in-state and shared on social media. It shows an official gently guiding Jeanningros in a blue headscarf and navy attire towards the casket.
Only cardinals, bishops, and priests are typically allowed in the restricted area around the Pope's lying-in-state. However, no security personnel intervened, allowing the nun a quiet, intimate moment of grief.
How their friendship began
The 81-year-old nun, a member of the Little Sisters of Jesus, stood for a few moments in front of the coffin, wiping away tears as she said her final goodbyes. Known for lifelong dedication to serving the marginalised, Jeanningros and the Pope shared a bond that began in Buenos Aires when he was still Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.
Jeanningros was known to Pope Francis as a trusted confidante for over four decades. She had first become acquainted with him during his time in Argentina, and their friendship deepened as they worked together to advocate for the vulnerable, particularly the marginalized. Jeanningros, who lived in a caravan outside Rome until last year, devoted more than 56 years to humanitarian work, serving people in Ostia, particularly those living on the margins of society.
In a video posted by her religious order, Jeanningros recalled how Pope Francis had once personally called her to console her over the death of her aunt, a nun who was forcibly disappeared during Argentina's military dictatorship.
Their bond was also marked by shared ideals of compassion and social justice, with Jeanningros often bringing disadvantaged individuals to the Vatican's general audiences. Pope Francis not only welcomed them but also offered financial support and invited them to meals.
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