‘A beautiful experience': Canadians share moments from funeral of Pope Francis as hundreds of thousands gather at Vatican
For Canadian Brennon Doman, getting to experience firsthand the peace and unity that
Pope Francis
was known for was 'inspiring.'
Doman, from Peterborough, Ont., and his fiancée learned about Francis's death as they landed in Rome on April 21, and immediately shifted their plans to attend his funeral.
Their trip was originally intended for
the canonization of Carlo Acutis
, the first millennial saint, which was postponed because of
Saturday's service for the late Pope
.
'The mood at the Vatican was very cheerful and supportive. It was inspiring to see so many people come together from all over the world and unite as one, regardless of the heat and sun,' Doman told the Star from the Vatican Saturday morning.
Faithful attend Pope Francis' funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in the Vatican on Saturday.
'Although I am not a Catholic, my fiancée is, and we came together as this is a very important event for her and I am trying to learn more and more about the faith. It was a beautiful experience to share with her.'
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered Saturday at Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City to say a final goodbye to Pope Francis, the
beloved but polarizing pontiff
with a progressive legacy that transformed the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals who officiated the mass, said Francis 'immediately made his mark on the governance of the Church,' describing him as a 'pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone.'
The ceremonial funeral of Pope Francis is underway in Vatican City.
'The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica,' he said. 'He then came down to this square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile.'
Francis, the world's first Latin American pope, died hours later of a cerebral stroke on Monday, at the age of 88.
The Vatican estimated that 250,000 people were at the square and adjacent areas on Saturday morning. Over 150,00 others lined the streets of Rome.
he coffin of Pope Francis is carried in front of dignitaries, including U.S. President Donald Trump, centre, and French President Emmanuel Macron, left, during his funeral in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Saturday.
More than 50 heads of state, including U.S. President
Donald Trump
and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were present. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon represented Canada at the high profile gathering instead of Prime Minister and Liberal Leader Mark Carney.
Several Canadians described the ceremony as respectful, peaceful — and hopeful, despite the sadness that swept over many Catholics around the globe this week.
'I must say the atmosphere was incredible,' Daniel Horvath, a resident of Peterborough, Ont., told the Star after the service.
'Seeing Pope Francis's modest casket was, in my view, a beautiful touch,' he continued. The lifting of the casket was 'especially moving,' he said.
Dan Horvath took this photo of the scene at Pope Francis's funeral on Saturday at the Vatican.
After the mass, Francis's body was moved in procession to Saint Mary Major Basilica, his final resting place. His coffin was met by about 40 migrants, prisoners, homeless and transgender people, each holding a white rose.
He was the first pope to be buried outside of the Vatican in 100 years.
'The funeral was quite different from (the ones of) previous popes, which was Francis's wish, emphasizing his role as a shepherd and simple pastor,' said Rev. Christian Lindenbach, ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Regina.
'For the conclave,
even though the movie
(of the same name) that recently came out did a poor job of representing the motives and intentions of the Cardinals and Church in selecting the next pope, it is a special event,' he continued.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Thousands of young people from around the world had come to Rome expecting
'There is a saying that each consecutive pope builds on the previous one. It will be interesting to see who is selected to lead the Church in the world and how that will align with the principles that Francis tried to emphasize.'
The date of
the conclave
to elect a new pope has yet to be announced. Under Church rules, it must begin within 15 to 20 days after the pope's death.
Falguni Debnath, a Toronto resident and Catholic who attends St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica, booked a last-minute trip to Rome to attend Francis's funeral within hours of hearing the news of his death.
'Pope Francis was the pontiff when I became a Catholic. He has a special place in my heart,' Debnath said just as the ceremony began.
'I am feeling a great sense of sadness. The world needs a Pope Francis more than ever. A leader who listened, who sought to understand those who were different, those who were marginalized.'
With files from Star staff and wire services
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