'He fought for justice, for the poor, for an open church': Tributes as Pope Francis is laid to rest in Rome
Under brilliant sunshine, the funeral of Pope Francis was marked by huge crowds, as well as moments of complete silence across Vatican City and Rome that were broken only by the liturgy and spontaneous applause for a much-loved pontiff. At least 50,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square, with another 200,000 estimated to be outside. Hundreds of foreign dignitaries and world leaders attended the two-hour funeral Mass, with the UAE represented by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. It was a time for global tensions to be put aside and even temporary reconciliation, as the late Pope would have wished. French President Emmanuel Macron shook hands with US President Donald Trump, after months of tension between Europe and America. On two metal chairs placed close together in a quiet hall, the US leader met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since their dramatic bust-up in the Oval Office. A massive security operation, including a no-fly zone over the Italian capital, rooftop snipers and anti-drone technology ensured the service passed without incident. But despite the presence of so many foreign leaders and the formal attire of the red-clad cardinals, the day really belonged to the ordinary members of the Catholic Church. Many travelled from around the world, calling out their thanks for Pope Francis's life and work. Father Ricardo Camara travelled from Mexico to pay his respects. He said his congregation would forever remember the pontiff for his pursuit of social justice. "He was a great shepherd. He fought a lot for justice, for the poor, for migrants, for an open church," Father Camara told The National. Emil Anton, an Iraqi-Finnish dual citizen who woke up at 4am for the funeral. As a Syriac catholic, he praised Pope Francis's dedication to the Middle East. 'Pope Francis was the first Pope to go to Iraq. This was one of the most important things of his papacy," Mr Anton said. 'His legacy in the Middle East was important, it includes an emphasis on interfaith dialogue, with the declaration of fraternity in the UAE and his meeting with the Ayatollah [Ali Al] Sistani in Iraq, after which a day dedicated to coexistence was declared. His visit in Iraq was a lot of joy and consolation after the hard years'. Pointing to the huge crowd, Clement Iyam, 30, a Nigerian resident of Italy, said: 'This is testimony of a life well-spent. He dedicated his papacy to the poor and the marginalised. We're all happy to have been part of it.' Pope Francis's body had been placed in a simple wooden coffin in St Peter's Square. Beside it was an icon representing the Virgin Mary and child that is believed to have been painted by St Luke the evangelist in the first century. It normally hangs in the basilica of St Mary Major, where Pope Francis was to be buried at his request. A homily of the Pope's life and achievements was read by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, dean of the College of Cardinals. He spoke of the visit of Pope Francis to the UAE in February 2019. "During his trip to the United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis signed a document on human fraternity for world peace and living together, recalling the common fatherhood of God," he said. Prayers were recited in languages including Arabic, French, Portuguese and Italian. With the Mass concluded, there was a major departure from previous funerals that included an internment inside St Peter's. For the first time in more than 100 years, the body of a pope was taken outside the Vatican gates to the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major, in central Rome. In an adapted 'popemobile', the coffin was driven slowly through the streets of the city, passing landmarks that included the Colosseum. Crowds lined the nearly 4km route, bursting into applause and cheers as the coffin passed. Pope Francis was laid to rest at a ceremony attended by a small group that, at his request, included some of the poorest and most marginalised in society, including refugees and convicted prisoners. Pope Francis chose the Basilica of St Mary Major for his devotion to the mother of Jesus, having said that 'the Virgin Mary has told me to prepare my tomb'. He prayed in the church after returning from every overseas trip. In total, Pope Francis is said to have made more than 100 visits to the basilica in his 12 years as pontiff. This was his last.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
8 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Nawrocki wins Polish presidential election
Nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki won Poland's presidential election, official results showed Monday, in a major blow for the pro-EU government and for abortion and LGBTQ rights campaigners. The 42-year-old fan of US President Donald Trump scored 50.9 per cent of the vote in Sunday's runoff in the highly polarised NATO and EU nation. His 53-year-old rival Rafal Trzaskowski, Warsaw's pro-EU mayor and an ally of the centrist government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, won 49.1 percent. Nawrocki said he wanted Poland to be 'a state that matters in international, European and transatlantic relations'. 'I will represent you with dignity on the international state, ensuring Poland is treated as an equal,' he said on X. Trzaskowski took hours to concede defeat. 'Congratulations to Karol Nawrocki... This win is an obligation, especially in such difficult times. Especially with a close result. Don't forget that,' he said on X. Nawrocki's win will block the government's progressive agenda for abortion and LGBTQ rights and could revive tensions with Brussels over rule-of-law issues. 'Nawrocki's presidency will be a rough ride for the Tusk government,' analyst Piotr Buras said in a statement. He told AFP the election result was a 'yellow card' for the government and could lead to 'early parliamentary elections, maybe not this year, but next'. Nawrocki's victory could also undermine strong ties with neighbouring Ukraine, as he is critical of Kyiv's EU and NATO accession plans and wants to cut benefits for Ukrainian refugees. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that he looked forward to 'continued fruitful cooperation with Poland and with President Nawrocki personally'. Polish presidents have some influence over foreign and defence policy and wield veto power over legislation. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday called for a parliamentary confidence vote in a bid to demonstrate continued support for his pro-EU government after a nationalist candidate won the presidential election. In a televised address, Tusk said he would 'ask for a vote of confidence in the lower house soon' in his coalition government. He voiced hope that he would be able to cooperate with president-elect Karol Nawrocki. Agencies
The National
11 hours ago
- The National
Stanley Tucci doesn't want to be globetrotting food expert like Anthony Bourdain
Stanley Tucci has a lot of time to think, and he hates it. The American actor, 64, has spent the majority of his life making movies – Conclave, The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, to name a few – and as much as he loves acting, he laments the fact that he doesn't actually do all that much of it. 'Acting doesn't fulfil me as much as it used to,' Tucci tells The National. 'You're on these sets for 12 to 13 hours a day, and you may only act for 20 minutes of that time. I end up thinking, 'there's got to be a better way to do this!' I just want to keep going and going – I'm very impatient. 'I get paid to wait. It's the acting I do for free. That's the way I feel, at this point.' The problem is, when you're sitting around all day, you're rarely learning something – even about yourself. It's a problem we all have – but he has lost patience with that disconnect. Which is why, over the last decade, Tucci has gone out into the world to learn more about who he really is – through travel and especially through food. 'I think we've gotten out of touch with ourselves physically,' Tucci explains. 'One of the reasons is we're all sitting in front of computers, or on our phones all the time – or myself, waiting on a set – and desk work is far more prominent than doing any kind of labour.' In Tucci's mind, it's all connected. By focusing more on what he eats, he's thought more about where it comes from – the land, and the culture and traditions the land inspires. And by starting at the source, we see ourselves more clearly. 'Getting in touch with the land is so important. From the land comes our food, and then the food goes onto the table, and into us,' says Tucci. Growing up, Tucci was also quite disconnected from his roots. He didn't understand why all the other kids at his small-town school 75km outside of New York City were eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and he was having leftovers his mother had packed him of last night's eggplant parmigiana. But with each passing decade, he has increasingly immersed himself in his Italian heritage – and embracing even its flaws. And by focusing his journey on food, he has ended up learning more about the country's rich complexities than one might imagine. All of this is in service to understanding the country – and himself – better. 'I don't want to romanticise Italy. I think that's been done ad nauseam. I think it's not interesting and it's not truthful,' says Tucci. Tucci in Italy, his new National Geographic series broadcast weekly in the UAE and available to stream on Disney+, embraces what he feels is the true Italy. In the first episode, for example, he explores Tuscany, focusing specifically on dishes that were created by and for the working class. First he tries lampredotto, the Florentine street food sandwich made from the fourth stomach of a cow. It's named after the eels that once inhabited the Arno river, and only the rich could afford. The tripe dish, then, was invented to imitate its flavours. But the story doesn't stop here. Tucci then finds another old peasant dish made with imitation tripe by those that couldn't even afford cow stomach. That one might even be his favourite. Politically speaking, there's a reason that he focuses on the lower class – at a time when, once again, immigrants and the poor are being scapegoated, both in Italy and in the US. It's something his immigrant family likely went through once, too. 'I think particularly in today's climate, immigrants are vilified and wrongly so, because they have so much to bring to a culture. Millions of Italians once came over to America, and they were vilified to a certain extent. Also, I think that's something that Italian Americans have to remember, and Italians themselves should remember, too,' says Tucci. But as much as he's enjoyed diving into the unexplored corners of Italy for the series – with another season already shot and set to air next year – he's also adamant that his journey will stop there. While he wants to go deeper into his ancestral homeland, a project he started with the CNN series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy in 2021, he doesn't want to explore the rest of the world on camera. It's clear he doesn't want to be the next Anthony Bourdain – the late chef who grew internationally famous for his globetrotting food series Parts Unknown. 'I don't want to do different regions and different countries, because I don't think that would be appropriate. I don't have a connection to those countries,' Tucci explains. In fact, it sounds like Tucci doesn't think there should be another Anthony Bourdain at all. Instead, he wants the Tucci in Italy model to be repeated globally – starring figures who are looking to explore their roots, not modern-day adventurers looking to become the Indiana Jones of restaurants. 'I think it would be more interesting to have somebody like me explore those countries in the way that I've done it – and they need to have a connection to those countries. They need to speak the language, and they have to really, really appreciate the food – not just like to eat. 'They have to know food and be willing to explore and ask questions. It's not just about what's delicious – it's about understanding the passion of the people that make it.' The next season of Tucci in Italy may be the final food travel series for Tucci. 'I'm kind of tired,' he says. Tucci is grappling with the fact that, at 64, he's aging. And part of knowing himself now is about knowing how to navigate his limitations. He's doing that by focusing, once again, on food. 'As a person who's getting older, your body is changing all the time – meaning it's getting weaker all the time. You need to know what it is you need to strengthen yourself - to keep yourself strong. Otherwise I'll grow impatient with myself, too.'
Dubai Eye
13 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Ukraine says it hit Russia's bridge to Crimea with underwater explosives
Ukraine's SBU security service said on Tuesday that it had hit the road and rail bridge linking Russia and the Crimean peninsula below the water level with explosives. In a statement, the SBU said it had used 1,100 kilograms (2,420 pounds) of explosives that were detonated early in the morning and damaged underwater pillars of the bridge, a key supply route for Russian forces in Ukraine in the past. The official Russian outlet which provides regular status updates on the bridge said its operation had been suspended for about three hours between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time. It gave no reason for the temporary closure, but said the bridge had been reopened and was functioning as normal. "Previously, we hit the Crimean Bridge twice, in 2022 and 2023. So today we continued this tradition underwater," the SBU said in its statement, adding that the operation had been prepared over several months. The SBU shared video footage that showed an explosion next to one of the many support pillars of the bridge. Reuters was able to confirm the location from the structure and bearing elements of the bridge that matched satellite and file imagery of the area. Reuters was not able to independently verify when the video was filmed. Russian military bloggers said the attack had been unsuccessful and speculated that it had been carried out by a Ukrainian sea drone. On Sunday, Ukraine launched drones in an operation codenamed "Spider's Web" to attack Russian nuclear-capable long-range bomber planes at distant airfields across Russia. The 19-km (12-mile) Crimea Bridge over the Kerch Strait is the only direct link between the transport network of Russia and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The bridge was a flagship project for Russian President Vladimir Putin. It consists of a separate roadway and railway, both supported by concrete stilts, which give way to a wider span held by steel arches at the point where ships pass between the Black Sea and the smaller Azov Sea. The bridge was used by Russian forces during their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when they crossed it to reach Crimea and from there went on to seize parts of Ukraine's southern Kherson and southeastern Zaporizhzhia regions.
