In Video: Faithful line Rome streets to pay tribute to Pope Francis
Pope Francis’s Final Journey: A Testament to His Impact
As the hearse carrying the body of Pope Francis entered the view of seminary student Rodrigo Herrera, he couldn’t help but tear up. "I just saw him last week, giving his last effort, his last pull, just giving it all for the church. Now, I have to say goodbye," he said, his eyes welling up with emotion.
Rodrigo was not alone in his sentiment. Thousands of people gathered to bid farewell to the beloved pontiff, who will be remembered for his progressive and compassionate approach to leadership. The crowds were somber and silent, each person holding up their phone to capture a moment of history.
The Impact of Pope Francis
Pope Francis’s departure leaves behind a legacy of modernizing the Catholic Church and making it more relevant to the younger generation. As a seminary student in Rome, Rodrigo and his peers are all too aware of the significance of Francis’s papacy. They hope that the next pope will continue to prioritize community and outreach, as Francis did.
"We’re sad, but hopeful," said Rodrigo. "We hope the next pope will continue to bring in our generation, the way Francis did. He was a good example of being welcoming and really honing in on community in the Catholic Church."
The Conclave and the Future of the Church
The conclave to choose the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics is set to begin on or after May 6th. This year’s electorate is the biggest and most diverse in history, with 135 cardinal electors hailing from around the world. They will spend the next week getting to know each other before being sealed inside the Sistine Chapel to secretly vote twice a day until one name receives a two-thirds majority.
The outcome of the conclave is far from certain, but one thing is clear: the next pope will face a daunting task in following in the footsteps of a trailblazing leader like Pope Francis. As the Catholic Church looks to the future, one thing is certain – the world will be watching as the search for a new pope unfolds.
