The Final Farewell: A Journey Begins
The world gathers in the heart of Rome for the Pope’s final farewell. A mosaic of faces, languages, and songs weaves a living atlas beneath the sky over St Peter’s Square. It’s not a goodbye, but the beginning of a journey that continues — a poem “that will never reach the last verse.”
By Maria Helena Sequeira and Edoardo Giribaldi
“All roads lead to Rome”: so the saying goes. Today, in the Eternal City, the world came together, following the path of a Pope who journeyed from the “ends of the earth,” wearing down the soles of his simple black shoes — the same ones he requested to be buried in.
Dawn’s soft light reflected off the marble columns and facades of Via della Conciliazione, illuminating the faces of the faithful gathered to say goodbye to Pope Francis. Some have just woken up, bundled in sleeping bags on the sidewalks. A tense, sacred silence fills the air.
Pope Francis’ Gentle Humor
A group of young Argentinians shares a metal flask, discreetly sipping and laughing. “Tequila, recuerdas al Papa?” one whispers — in a silent toast to the gentle humor that Francis never stopped offering, even in his suffering. Like when, speaking of his ailing knee, he smiled and said: “A little tequila wouldn’t hurt.”
As the sun rises, Rome reveals itself as a crossroads of languages, cultures, and stories. Pope Francis would have sat among them, next to Beatrice, a homeless woman observing the crowd with calm detachment. She smiles when rowdy teenagers, here for the Jubilee, rush past her.
High Hopes
Among the many groups are young Portuguese teenagers, confident that the sorrow of this day will unite the faithful across the world and inspire more youth to come to Rome during the Jubilee Year. “Pope Francis brought people together with his message of hope and care for the needy,” says Margarida. They believe that, now in heaven, the Pope continues to watch over them — and they find comfort speaking to him in spirit.
Nearby, a gospel choir from the Democratic Republic of Congo sings Amazing Grace, blending sorrow with hope. “He gave us the strength to keep going, despite the horrors,” says Jeanette, tearfully. Kenneth adds, “We hope. We are always grateful to Francis.” The dream of peace in their homeland remains a shared horizon.
A Legacy to Carry On
As the ceremony ends, a slow procession moves toward Santa Maria Maggiore. The crowd begins to disperse. The young people from Córdoba pack away their empty flask.
A quote from Jorge Luis Borges — cited by Pope Francis — now resonates as a testament to them and to all those gathered:
“I want to give thanks… for Whitman and Francis of Assisi, who already wrote this poem. For the fact that the poem is inexhaustible and becomes one with the sum of all created things, and will never reach its last verse, and varies according to its writers.”
