Pope without red shoes – in the last hours of his life, went among people. Convinced that there is God there
The last public appearance of Pope Francis, on Sunday, on Easter day, among the people of Saint Peter Square in Rome. Credit Line: IPA Sport / Abaca / Abaca Press / Profimedia
For Easter, in the last message, a few hours before he died, Pope Francis spoke to the believers about love, peace and forgiveness, as he has always done since the white smoke announced, in 2013, “Habemus Papam”.
Millions of believers from all over the world have turned their eyes to the Little Argentine priest, then known for his admiration for football, apparently incongruent with religion, but which he explained so beautifully: “Sport is the history of talent rewarded by responsibility.”
Arriving in the Holy See after Pope Benedict XVI had abdicase, the first to make such a gesture in almost 600 years, the new Pope took his name as Francisc. He was inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan order who spiritually renewed the Church through themes such as simplicity, the refusal of any privilege and equality between people.
Themes and gestures that the world has had and needs and which the new sovereign pontiff has acquired. From his refusal to wear colorful vestments or famous red shoes carried by his predecessors since ancient times, to the discussions of unpaid topics until then. Francis has collected opponents.
Francis was not afraid. He addressed current topics, such as abortion, inclusion of women and LGBT+ people and has taken measures against sexual abuses within the church, despite the most conservative critics.
He also lived “what he preached” in the dozens of trips he made abroad, in disadvantaged areas, among people. In 2019, he arrived in Romania. And wherever he went to our country, his message, “Let's go together!” became palpable.
In 2021, in a speech that accompanied the prayer on Sunday, at the Vatican, the Pope told the believers: “We must not seek God in dreams and images of greatness and power, but we must recognize him in the humanity of Jesus and, consequently, in that of the brothers and sisters.”
Four years later, in his last message to the world, Easter Sunday, Pope Francis prayed “to tear down the barriers that separate us”, and “to take care of each other.”
In this world of the null amount, in which we are urged to “the strongest to triumph”, few personalities had the fear of pleading to stay together as people. “Let's take care of each other.”
Even a few hours before he died, Pope Francis rendered to the world, with unstoppable fidelity, which was a right of it: a place in the midst of his church, where God takes place in all people. And we all live in peace.
