ROME
A blooming flower attracts bees around it with its sweet nectar. Yet, once it withers, it is often forgotten or even trampled down. But Pope Francis was no ordinary flower. He drew people not only during his lifetime but continues to draw millions of hearts even after his death.
As a student in Rome, I had the privilege of participating in several liturgical celebrations presided by Pope Francis. His Wednesday audiences and Sunday angelus were not just papal gatherings but heartfelt encounters with a shepherd who truly cared for his flock. These encounters brought thousands together in faith.
On the evening of April 23, I joined one such multitude. This time not for a celebration, but to offer a final homage to our shepherd. At 7.45pm, I joined the queue at St Peter's Square with thousands who had come to pay their respects and pray for the soul of the Holy Father.
The endless queue had people patiently waiting to offer their final tribute to the Pope. For over three and a half hours, I waited with aching legs and a grieving heart.
The night deepened until around 11.30pm, when I finally stepped into the calm of St. Peter's Basilica. There, I joined countless others in prayer for a great leader of our faith who by the witness of his life, called many to walk towards the path of sainthood.
Inside the Basilica, some knelt in silent prayer, others let quiet tears fall, while many stood in reverent stillness, etching the moment into memory—a moment of a lifetime. It was a silent symphony of gratitude and grief.
He loved, taught to love and now, they showed their love.
[The writer hails from Morjim, and is studying Beni Culturali Della Chiesa at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.]
