Pope Francis's funeral brought the least and the greatest together
In the story of Pope Francis's papacy, the same thread ran through the first and final chapters. On the evening of his election in 2013, he appeared on St Peter's balcony dressed in plain white – shunning the red papal mozetta – delivering a simple 'buonasera' with a shy wave to the rapturous and adoring crowds.
Just as he kept things simple then, he opted for a modest wood coffin today rather than the three-casket option made of cypress, lead and oak. Although popes are usually buried with a new mitre, which costs hundreds of pounds, Francis insisted his current mitre would do just fine. No frills. No fuss. He was, as Cardinal Battista Re said earlier, 'a pope among the people' from beginning to end.
Applause rang out as 14 white-gloved pallbearers laid the Pope before the altar this morning in St Peter's Square, with a Book of the Gospels resting on top.
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Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Wales Online
Call for 'crisis plan' as hundreds of thousands face disruption on July 1
Call for 'crisis plan' as hundreds of thousands face disruption on July 1 392,000 households are currently in the line of fire A man investigates his fuse box at home - by the light of a candle - in a blackout Energy campaigners have urged Ofgem to draw up a 'crisis plan' for July 1 when the Radio Teleswitching System (RTS) is switched off, saying hundreds of thousands of households remain likely to face considerable disruption. Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, warned MPs that the switch-off is 'doomed to failure', adding that hundreds of thousands of RTS meters will still be in people's homes on the date they are due to be switched off for good. The RTS system, used by older electricity meters to control heating and hot water, uses a longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. The technology is becoming obsolete and energy companies have a deadline to change their customers' meters by June 30. However, firms have admitted that current rates of replacement mean it is likely that thousands of RTS meters will not have been upgraded before the technology is switched off. Energy UK, which represents firms, said 392,000 households still had the meters as of mid April. Mr Francis told the Work and Pensions Committee: 'The process is doomed to failure. We are not going to see the RTS switch off on the first of July. 'There's still going to be hundreds of thousands of RTS meters in people's homes on the date that they're saying they're going to start winding down the signal. 'We don't know what is going to happen. The risks that have been outlined are either that your hot water and your heating are always on and you're going to be running up a massive bill, or it's always off, and even in the summer that's going to be disastrous for people, especially pensioners, in not having access to hot water, or it's going to fix in to a mode where it's going to start charging you at the higher rate, and again, that's going to be a real problem. Article continues below 'And I don't think we've heard anything from industry about which of those is most likely, indeed, it might be a combination of different factors in different areas.' He added: 'So, it's really concerning and we need the industry and Ofgem to present a crisis plan as to what is going to happen on the first of July, to offset this challenge.' Most homes have standard meters and will not be affected, whether or not they have a smart meter. Ned Hammond, Energy UK's deputy director for customers, told the committee that there was 'a lot of work to do here still'. He said: 'While the replacement rate has increased a lot, it is clearly not at the point it would need to get to, to get down to zero customers by the end of June. We're working incredibly hard as an industry with Ofgem and Desnz (The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) on a carefully managed phase out plan to ensure than we can replace all the RTS meters over time and minimise any of those impacts on customers. 'We're very focused on vulnerable customers in these circumstances, in particular as well, to make sure that we are as much as possible trying to engage with them through different methods to help them through that and also be ready to provide them with any support if there are any of those issues. 'We are working very hard on that plan at the moment and we'll have it in place in time for the end of June.' Industry regulator Ofgem has said the risks associated with not having a functioning meter include heating and hot water left continually on or off, electric storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day, possibly leading to higher bills, and the supplier being unable to confirm electricity usage during peak or off-peak times. Charlotte Friel, director for Retail Pricing & Systems for Ofgem, said: 'We have been continually monitoring the industry's efforts to replace RTS meters as this ageing infrastructure reaches the end of its life. Last year we decided more needed to be done so convened the sector and made clear to suppliers they have to move faster. Following that intervention, the rate of meter replacements has increase from around 1,000 a month to more than 1,000 a day. 'However suppliers need to do more and ensure customers are protected from detriment, which is why industry is putting in place a phased area-by-area shutdown beginning from 30 June. We have made clear that the signal serving a specific area should not be switched off until suppliers have demonstrated that they are ready and able to respond quickly to any issues customers experience. 'While this carefully managed phaseout should reassure customers that they will be protected, it remains crucial that these meters are replaced so I would urge customers to engage with their supplier when offered an appointment – even if it is after the 30 June date that marks the beginning of the process.' The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to the watchdog and the Government to raise concerns about the pace and communication of the meter replacement effort. According to Ofgem, you may have an RTS meter if: Article continues below
Leader Live
18-05-2025
- Leader Live
Pope Leo XIV formally opens his pontificate with Mass in St Peter's Square
Leo launched the celebration by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy's global reach and mediatic draw, used at home and abroad to bring popes close to their flock. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary smiled and waved from the back of the vehicle as the bells of St Peter's Basilica rang. Leo appeared to choke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on him – the pallium wool stole over his shoulders and the fisherman's ring on his finger – as if the weight of responsibility had just sunk in. He turned his hand to look at the ring and seal and then clasped his hands in front of him in prayer. The crowd cheered and plenty of Peruvian, American and Holy See flags mixed with flags of other nations and banners. Tens of thousands of people had earlier streamed into St Peter's Square. Starting at dawn, civil protection crews in neon uniforms funnelled pilgrims into quadrants in the piazza while priests and patriarchs hurried into St Peter's Basilica to get ready for the Mass. US vice president JD Vance, one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died, paid his respects at the Argentine pope's tomb when he arrived in Rome late on Saturday, and was heading the US delegation honouring Chicago-born Leo. Diplomatic protocol also dictated the dress code. While most wore black, the handful of Catholic queens and princesses – Charlene of Monaco and Letizia of Spain among others – wore white in a special privilege allowed them. Three dozen of the world's other Christian churches sent their own delegations, headed by patriarchs, reverends, ministers and metropolitans, while the Jewish community had a 13-member delegation, half of them rabbis. Leo started the day by taking his first tour through the piazza in the popemobile. It was here that Francis made his last popemobile ride on Easter Sunday, and it was on the back of a popemobile that Francis' coffin was taken across Rome last month to its final resting place. Leo seems more timid than Francis. But all eyes will be on how he manages the throngs of pilgrims, tourists and curiosity-seekers, and the babies who will inevitably be passed up to him for a blessing. After the tour in the square, Leo went into the basilica to begin the solemn ceremony to inaugurate his ministry in a series of rites that emphasise the service that he is called to perform in leading the Catholic Church. He prayed first at the tomb of St Peter, considered to be the first pope, under the basilica's main altar, and then processed out into the piazza for the Mass. Peruvian President Dina Boluarte is one of about a dozen heads of state attending, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. US seminarian Ethan Menning, 21, from Omaha, Nebraska, wrapped himself in an American flag to celebrate. 'Rome always felt like home for a Catholic, but now coming here and seeing one of our own on the throne of Peter, it almost makes Jesus himself more accessible,' he said. Kalen Hill, a pilgrim from the US, got to St Peter's soon after the gates opened on Sunday and said he never expected an American would lead the 1.4-billion strong church. 'I would say all the Americans are emotional about it,' he said. 'It is really powerful for American Catholics who sometimes feel separated from the world church to be brought in and included in this community through Pope Leo.' During the Mass, Leo received the two potent symbols of the papacy: the lambswool stole, known as a pallium, and the fisherman's ring. The pallium, draped across his shoulders, symbolises the pastor carrying his flock as the pope carries the faithful. The ring, which becomes Leo's official seal, harks back to Jesus' call to the apostle Peter to cast his fishing nets. The other symbolically important moment of the Mass is the representational rite of obedience to Leo. Whereas in the past all cardinals would vow obedience to the new pope, more recent papal installations involve representatives of cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, nuns, married couples and young people participating in the rite. Another change from the past is that Sunday's Mass is not a coronation ceremony, which used to involve the pope receiving a tiara, but is merely known as a 'Eucharistic Celebration for the start of the Petrine ministry of the Bishop of Rome'. In the days since his historic election, Leo has already sketched out some of his key priorities as pope. In his first foreign policy address, he said the Holy See's three pillars of diplomacy were peace, justice and truth. In his first major economics address, he emphasised the Catholic Church's social doctrine and the search for truth. Leo has vowed all efforts to find peaceful ends to the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere. But as a priority, he has also identified the challenges to humanity posed by artificial intelligence, making the parallel to the challenges to human dignity posed by the industrial revolution that were confronted by his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, who was pope from 1878-1903. After the homily and at the end of the Mass, Leo will offer a final blessing and then go into the basilica to greet the heads of the more than 150 official delegations attending. Security was tight, as it was for Francis' funeral on April 26, which drew an estimated 250,000 people. Rome authorities planned for another 250,000 on Sunday. The piazza and main boulevard leading to it, and two nearby piazzas, were set up with giant television screens, and dozens of portable toilets have been erected in a nearby park.
STV News
18-05-2025
- STV News
Pope Leo XIV gives first major address at inauguration attended by thousands
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, vowed on Sunday to work for unity so that the Catholic Church becomes a sign of peace in the world. He offered a message of love and communion during an inaugural Mass in St Peter's Square before tens of thousands of people, presidents, patriarchs and princes. Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy's global reach and mediatic draw. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary smiled and waved from the back of the vehicle, but did not appear to stop to kiss babies and the crowd. During the Mass, Leo appeared to choke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on him – the pallium wool stole over his shoulders and the fisherman's ring on his finger – as if the weight of responsibility of leading the 1.4-billion strong church had just sunk in. He turned his hand to look at the ring and seal and then clasped his hands in front of him in prayer. Security was tight as civil protection crews in neon uniforms funnelled pilgrims into quadrants in the piazza and up and down the boulevard that leads to it for the ceremony blending ancient ritual, evocative symbols and a dose of modern-day celebrity. US vice president JD Vance, one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died, led the US delegation honouring the Chicago-born Leo after paying his respects at the Argentine pope's tomb when he arrived in Rome late on Saturday. In his homily, Leo said he wanted to be a servant to the faithful through the two dimensions of the papacy, love and unity, so that the church could be a force for peace in the world. 'I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world,' he said. 'In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalises the poorest.' His call for unity was significant, given the polarisation in the Catholic Church in the United States and beyond. Francis' radical 12-year pontificate, which emphasised care for the poor and marginalised and disdain for the capitalist economic system, often alienated conservatives and traditionalists. Leo's May 8 election, after a remarkably quick 24-hour conclave, has appeared at the outset to have pleased conservative Catholics who seem to appreciate his more disciplined, traditional style and Augustinian background, emphasizing core truths of Catholic doctrine. Strict diplomatic protocol dictated the seating arrangements at his inaugural Mass, with both the United States and Peru getting front-row seats thanks to Leo's dual citizenship. Mr Vance, a Catholic convert who tangled with Francis over the Trump administration's mass migrant deportation plans, was being joined by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Rome ahead of time to try to advance Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Peruvian President Dina Boluarte is one of about a dozen heads of state attending, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia is being represented by the culture minister, Olga Liubimova. Diplomatic protocol also dictated the dress code. While most wore black, the handful of Catholic queens and princesses – Charlene of Monaco and Letizia of Spain among others – wore white in a special privilege allowed them. Three dozen of the world's other Christian churches sent their own delegations, the Jewish community had a 13-member delegation, half of them rabbis. Other representatives headed Buddhist, Muslim, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Sikh and Jain delegations. US seminarian Ethan Menning, 21, from Omaha, Nebraska, wrapped himself in an American flag to celebrate. 'Rome always felt like home for a Catholic, but now coming here and seeing one of our own on the throne of Peter,.. it almost makes Jesus himself more accessible,' he said. Kalen Hill, a pilgrim from the US, got to St. Peter's soon after the gates opened at dawn on Sunday and said he never expected an American would lead the 1.4-billion strong church. 'I would say all the Americans are emotional about it,' he said. 'It is really powerful for American Catholics who sometimes feel separated from the world church to be brought in and included in this community through Pope Leo.' The two symbols of the papacy handed to Leo were the pallium, and the fisherman's ring. The pallium, draped across his shoulders, symbolises the pastor carrying his flock as the pope carries the faithful. The ring, which becomes Leo's official seal, harks back to Jesus' call to the apostle Peter to cast his fishing nets. The other symbolically important moment of the Mass was the representational rite of obedience to Leo. Whereas in the past all cardinals would vow obedience to the new pope, more recent papal installations involve representatives of cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, nuns, married couples and young people participating in the rite. In the days since his historic election, Leo has already sketched out some of his key priorities as pope. In his first foreign policy address, he said the Holy See's three pillars of diplomacy were peace, justice and truth. In his first major economics address, he emphasised the Catholic Church's social doctrine and the search for truth. After the homily and at the end of the Mass, Leo offers a final blessing and then goes into the basilica to greet the heads of the more than 150 official delegations attending. Security was tight, as it was for Francis' funeral on April 26, which drew an estimated 250,000 people. Rome authorities are planning for another 250,000 on Sunday. The piazza and main boulevard leading to it, and two nearby piazzas were set up with giant television screens, and dozens of portable toilets have been erected in a nearby park. Gregory and Susan Hudak, who lived for 40 years in the Chicago area, found themselves in Rome after booking a trip in February, with just a faint hope of perhaps glimpsing the pope. Seeing the popemobile pass by in front of them was even better than watching Michael Jordan play, said Gary Hudak, a former altar boy wearing a Chicago Bears hat. 'Originally, the only hope I had coming here was to see the inside of the Sistine Chapel,' he said. 'I was glad the conclave was over, because I could get to see the inside of the Sistine Chapel. Seeing the pope was not scheduled, it was a long shot hope. And this was a treasure, simple as that.' 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