What began as just another holiday for tourists in Rome quickly turned incredibly sentimental. The death of Pope Francis was not only a moment for the Church; it affected travelers, citizens, and pilgrims both seasoned and casual, some of whom had no intention of commemorating history in this manner.
From Vacation to Vigil
Jennifer is making her first trip to Rome, and she has a very strong opinion about the event: “We came for the beauty, the history… but now, we’re leaving with something else—this feeling of loss.” Like many other people in her situation, her family along with her came hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pope. Only to become part of an unexpected emotional send-off.
As this was going on, Stephan and Christelle from France had just landed a few hours before the news went public. “We were just tourists,” Christelle said. “But on the other hand, we are witnesses to such a rare experience.” Even though they had not made plans to visit the funeral, due to the predicted overwhelming number of people, they still considered themselves lucky.
A Global Crowd with Heavy Hearts
All around Vatican City, people gathered. Some came with candles, some with flowers. Others, with nothing but a quiet heart and the urge to say goodbye. The crowd was a mix of cultures and languages–tourists, residents and pilgrims– all united by one thing: sorrow.
Susana from Mexico, who was already in Rome with her family spoke warmly about the Pope. “He was different. He made the Church feel open and closer to people like us,” came the gentle recollection with a smile.
Change of Plans, Change of Heart
Polish Violetta and Pavel, now living in London, cut a rather sad figure. Their holiday plans had been set since January, but the moment they learned about the Pope’s demise, it was all abandon ship. “Even if it’s just for a moment… we had to be here,” Violetta shared, utterly choked with emotion and tears.
Poignant glumness was fully felt by some like Bettina from Germany. For others like her, the plans did not change, but the reason to visit certainly did. We brought the children to St. Peter’s Basilica to allow them experience the gravity of the occasion. “We kept telling ourselves, ‘Hopefully, the Pope doesn’t die while we are here.’ But scripts were written differently.”
A Farewell Felt Around the World
The laughter of tourists turned into powerless reflection as they sight-saw around the city for what felt like the final time, transforming into a spiritual farewell that capped the period of mourning. The emotions attached were genuine grief despite the individual capturing only fleeting snippets of his life. At times, history has a peculiar way of revealing itself, seemingly out of nowhere, and captures you during a visit, instantly putting you at the confluence of the past and present.
At the end of the day, there is no denying that the visitors, with or without faith, had only one thing in mind. The demise of the papacy was truly not what mattered in this case, rather the unwavering presence and impact felt by individuals across the globe was.