THE AMERICA ONE NEWS
Jun 25, 2025  |  
0
 | Remer,MN
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET 
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge.
Sponsor:  QWIKET: Elevate your fantasy game! Interactive Sports Knowledge and Reasoning Support for Fantasy Sports and Betting Enthusiasts.
back  
topic
NYTimes
New York Times
22 Apr 2025
Michael Levenson


NextImg:For Pope Francis, a Last Burst of Pastoring Before Death

Just a day earlier, Pope Francis had thrilled the faithful by showing up on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after two brushes with death and blessing the crowd of worshipers below on Easter Sunday. “Viva il Papa,” they cheered.

But on Monday, standing somberly behind a microphone at the Vatican, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that the pope had died. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” he said.

For the faithful who began streaming into St. Peter’s Square in tears, Francis’ death at 88 was shocking, coming at the end of a brief period in which he had seemed determined to return to his pastoral duties. He had used his final days to emphasize the themes that defined his papacy, particularly the need to defend migrants and others on the margins of society.

“We feel a little lost, a little destabilized,” said Ilaria Toselli, 32, who was among the mourners in St. Peter’s Square on Monday. “He was the pope of the last ones, of the poor, and he was loved by the faithful and the nonfaithful.”

Many of the people in the square held rosaries. Some stared at the empty balcony from which Francis had blessed the crowd on Easter Sunday. One was wrapped in the flag of Argentina, the pope’s homeland.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.


Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.