World
Thousands of tourists andpilgrimswho flocked to Rome for Holy Week were dazed with shock at news of thedeathof Pope Francis. The Vatican made the announcement on Monday morning, a day after his open-topped popemobile was driven through crowds cheering "viva il papa!" onChristianity's holiestday.
'We appreciate all he did for us,' Sister Alicia Rios, among thousands in Rome in mourning, tells CBC News
Thomson Reuters
·
They had come from around the world and crammed intoSt. Peter'sSquareto hear Pope Francis deliver an appeal for peace onEaster. A day later, the Vatican announced he was dead.
Tourists andpilgrimswho flocked to Rome for Holy Week were dazed with shock at news Monday of thedeathof Francis, the morning after hisopen-topped popemobilewas driven through crowds cheering "viva il papa!" onChristianity's holiestday.
Rev.Bachai, a retired priestfrom the UnitedStates who was inRome for Holy Week, compared the pain of learning of the Pope'ssuddendeathto a bruise.
"He appeared in public yesterday [Sunday], looked healthy. I was so shocked, and sad of course," he said.
- Pope Francis, committed to service, humility and healing, dead at 88
- What happens when a pope dies? Inside the Vatican's historic, symbolic rituals
"It's very sad," Ida Marie, who had made the trip from Denmark to Rome, told CBC News. "We were just here yesterday and we saw him alive, and he was smiling, waving. So we were very surprised to hear the news today. It felt like the right thing to do to come back and pay our respects."
WATCH | Pope remembered as'inspiring' figure: Shock, sadness in St. Peter's Square over Pope's death 8 days ago Duration 1:21
Sue Rak, visiting Rome from Ghana with her husband and child, said she believed Francis "wanted to meet God."
"May he restin peace. He has done well in the world," she said. "He wanted to protect the weak."
An atmosphere of mourning gradually filtered over thesquareas the news sank in with both tourists and Romans who had been enjoying asun-drenchedEasterMonday holiday. At noon,St. Peter'sbells tolled in mourning and a silence descended upon the crowd.
"We saw him here, he was justdriven by in the car. It was shocking news this morning," said Letizia Bartocci, who works in a jewelry shop a short distance from thesquare.
Francis's death was a "real surprise"for Sister Alicia Rios, who's from Mexico.
"I have been blessed to come here and to pray for his soul, for him, and thank him for all he has done for us," she told CBC News.
While it's "very sad" to hear of his passing, she added, part of her feels "in a way, also happy,because we knew that he was suffering from his health.
"We just hope that so many people pray for him, and we appreciate all he did for us."
"This is something that really hits you hard," said Emanuela Tinari, who is from Rome and was with her boyfriend,Gianmarco Omiccioli. "He was a pope who brought so many people closer to the church."
Frank Lavis Tourneta, whowas visiting from the French island of Corsica, said he was moved to find himself in Rome on the day of the Pope'sdeath.
"Today I see a sign of the Christian religion that Pope Francis has died today and gone to heaven. I believe that it is astrong sign for the Christian faith today."
IN PHOTOS | Reaction from around the world:
With files from CBC News
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices·
About CBC NewsCorrections and clarifications·Submit a news tip·
Related Stories
- Vatican announces 3 days of public viewing for Pope Francis, followed by funeral on Saturday
- Pope Francis honoured at funeral before hundreds of thousands — from presidents to the poor
- Pope Francis's body taken in procession to St. Peter's Basilica for lying in state
- Tributes pour in for Pope Francis, voice for 'the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten'
- Sports world mourns soccer-loving Pope Francis with games in Italy, Argentina postponed
