“Particularly and specifically as a grateful church of Lisbon, recognizing him, we follow his example of simplicity, listening, and fidelity to the Gospel.” These were the words of the Patriarch of Lisbon, Rui Valério, during the homily celebrating the life of Pope Francis, describing it as a life marked by a paschal transformation: from illness to offering, from age to wisdom, from suffering to hope.
At the steps outside the cathedral, after the Mass had concluded, Constança, a 20-year-old attendee of the World Youth Day in 2023, admitted that she anticipated the Pope’s passing due to his age, yet felt a significant sadness because “he was a Pope who accompanied the youth.”
“He was with us, we grew up with him, we grew in faith with the Pope,” she added.
Similarly, João received “the painful news” of the Pope’s death with great difficulty, noting that the pontiff “had a special affection for the country.”
“As a Catholic and as a Portuguese, it affected me greatly,” said the 22-year-old, who attended the eucharist with his friends.
The Patriarch of Lisbon, who convened this Mass in Pope Francis’ honor shortly after the Vatican announced his death, recalled being told shortly before speaking to journalists that when Pope John Paul II passed away, the cathedral was similarly filled.
“I didn’t witness that moment, but it moved me, because truly Pope Francis entered our hearts, and there he remains,” Rui Valério added, expressing a hope that his presence, now reinforced by nostalgia, will also inspire a profound sense of hope.
The service moved many attendees both inside and outside the cathedral. João admitted being one of them, fond of Masses celebrated by the Patriarch and profoundly moved by the sight of the Lisbon cathedral, “such a beautiful church, filled with Portuguese.”
In his closing remarks during the Mass, in a cathedral adorned by hundreds of faces, Rui Valério emphasized that all “are responsible for receiving and living the testament of Pope Francis, his legacy of fraternity, friendship, and love,” and he called upon the Virgin Mary, “Mother of Hope, to welcome with open arms, with the openness that Pope Francis envisioned for the Church, of which she is an image to this son who loved her and announced her.”
