The poor who will not forget Pope Francis

Benedita Capli – Vatikan Sidad

Dawn, the streets are already crowded with people, there is bustle, madness to enter Plaza de San Pedro to win the best place and participate in goodbye to Pope Francis. This outside world disappears when the stairs donated from the Palazzo Migliori, a residence built in 1800 by the noble Roman family donated by the ink in 2019 to the poor, which it is now entrusted to the Sant’egidio community.

The stairs lead to the second floor, where there are dining rooms. Marco Simulino, who was here nearly six years ago, is busy with breakfast. I have prepared milk, coffee, cakes and snacks. The house slowly wakes up, guests wake up, about 45 people, and 22 of the Italians, most of them. There are only five women, two of whom are: Emilia and Rosa are also caregivers. Today today, routine changes differ, guests can survive until 8, at the time of the usual departure. Everyone can stay to see the funeral of Francisco, the Pope who feels like a brotherly friend, the father, one of them.

Sealing on the skin

Before the funeral mass, many people prefer to mix with the crowd, and move away, but not because Pope Francis does not respect. They did this for this fungal feeling of shame that hit the street, such as the seal on the skin, which you feel inappropriate and uncomfortable because you did not take a shower and do not have clean clothes; There is also dignity. With his words there is appreciation, gratitude, good memories. Gennaro, 84, says the ceremony, the bishops and crushers meet. Beside him are the most familiar with guests, such as Carlo Santoro and Marco Bartoli, from the Santigida community, there is Marco Simolino, who lives with them, with their “children”, as he says, or among the cleaning lady who seems to have begun to have begun to have started before returning to her swing.

Looking at Pope Francis

The eyes of this humanity are installed on the screen, a greeting to the Pope, which I love it deeply. Violetta carries the rosary and mobile phone in his hands, sometimes tells historical rings related to the churches of Rome or what he found in garbage, and the neck carries some headphones because he says that he focuses better if he listens to music, in his feet open, but he sits with golden topics, a sign of femininity that forms the formulation of the street.

Nikolai put a yellow hat with the phrase “Parma Diocese” on the table where lunch is served, wearing a T -yellow shirt – remember a phrase by John Paul II. Rosa chose to sit on the side, which is attentive and looks at the TV even though it is from time to time complaining of leg pain. Nicholas has an English balance, but nearly 40 years have passed in Rome. He is about to reach 70 years since this morning has glass eyes; When he talks, it stops often because the words do not come out. Here is the memory of Pope Francis, because of his interest in the poor, alive, is real, moving.

Emilia, who came to smoking, sits and jokes with Marco. He wears an umbrella in his hand, today is sunny but never knows. He wears a blue wool hat, a light environmental leather coat and is not separated from his bag. He says, but he does not want to provide more explanations, from the morning when the microphones came from journalists far from reaching: “Pope Francis was my friend.” Look at the open gospel placed on the back of the Pope, often takes his hands to his face and sighs. Alberto is an older man who arrived three months ago, a friend of Sant’egidio society, but all the time does not utter a word, he remains with crossed hands, he is alone and loneliness is also a way to survive.

God’s heart

To the peace signal, everyone wakes up from their seats to enhance the hand of those who feel they are traveling comrades. From the open windows in the palace, the echo of the square is heard, which is the echo of the world that these weak and stubborn people feel that they do not belong. On the other hand, Pope Francis loved them close to them, next to his house, because the poor guardian in the heart of God are the poor