Pope Francis represented humility and
hope, faithful told reporters as they paid heir respects at his
lying in state in St Peter's Thursday.
Flags from Portugal, Cuba, Argentina, were among the many
carried on the shoulders of the faithful in St. Peter's Square.
They come from all over the world to pay homage to the body of
Pope Francis.
Vukani and Michael arrived this morning from South Africa, from
Durban and Cape Town respectively, they too proudly wear their
flag as if it were a cape.
"We didn't even check in, we came straight to the square", they
say.
Their 14-hour journey was already scheduled, "we were supposed
to be here anyway for the canonization of 'teen Internet saint'
Carlo Acutis. "Even though it was suspended, we are lucky to be
in Rome and be part of this historic moment", says Vukani who
saw Pope Francis in Mozambique and Mauritius, while Michael did
in Ireland and Rome.
"He has never been to South Africa, close yes, but it doesn't
matter because we went to him", adds the young man from Cape
Town who underlines how Jorge Mario Bergoglio represented
"humility, simplicity and hope".
Just like the two friends, in Italy together with a group of ten
people, Ines and Bartosh, from Poland, came here for the
canonization of Carlo Acutis, in the company of their four
children.
"He gave us a beautiful image of God", they say, they who also
have John Paul II in their hearts.
And they add: "We waited in line to enter the basilica only for
an hour, they had told us over two hours but it was a surprise,
it didn't take us long".
Instead, a family from Cremona who, as soon as they heard of the
death of the pontiff, decided to reach the capital, "the Pope
embodied the values ;;that Jesus preached", they say.
Meanwhile, the queues around the basilica have not ended since
this morning, many groups in the square, including many scouts
from different cities and nations, such as Orane and Diane from
France who met the pontiff in Lisbon for the WYD in 2023, or the
Agesci from Catania who are holding an image of Francis in their
hands.
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