Report || But this is not only the story of Regina in Santa Maria Maior, she says that if a conservative pope comes now “it’s just worse for him.” It is also the story of Consuelo, she who still treats Francis by Bergoglio – “Papa Bergoglio.” And Guilherme and Mariana, who decided to come to the funeral to breakfast, “because he has always defended all those who are so often on the sidelines”
It could be another Saturday like so many.
No Vatican, in St. Peter’s Square, and Via Della Conciliazione, no. Then, thousands, wide thousands, they said goodbye to Francis in prayers, silences, sometimes tears, sometimes applause, and there was no place there for anyone else. So we already departed from Rome, on the other side of the Tevere, and departed through the Vittorio Emanuele II, avenue that crosses the historic center of the city, the avenue that would pass, later in the morning, the funeral of Francisco, its procession, then crossing important places: Piazza Venezia, central between centrals, the imperial forums and the coliseum, memories of glorious Roma I finished, the station, and via Merulana, which connects the basilicas of São João de Latrão and Santa Maria Maior, where, finally, will rest.
Yes, it could be another Saturday like so many.
A journey that is one hour, where there are police ready, some closed parallel streets, almost all, but where commerce, cafes, restaurants, shops, closed nothing this Saturday and them tourists, especially tourists, hosted.
There are people spread to the metal bars, who watch the funeral in the screens, sometimes those of mobile phones, sometimes those of the streets, listen, and pray when in St. Prado pray, applaud. It’s not so many.
Where the crowd is more in Merulana, it begins to reach the terreiro da Basilica, the surrounding, that the center is already isolated, and accumulate. When they know from the exit of the Vatican urn, they accumulate more and more. The heat squeezes in Rome, there are no sheltered, shadow, to occupy, and there in Torreira is almost breathable – and when breathing it, it’s a little odor. Some, few, give up. “Scusate, Scusate!” – They ask for sudden license and at cost there. At the cost of elbows.
Most do not leave, which comes near the Pope. When it is through Merulana, they break into applause, there is a woman with teary eyes, a woman who upon the arrival of the Pope she is annoyed with so many raised mobile phones. “Lower yourself. Lower yourself. Lower yourself! We don’t see, let’s not see anything!” – Asks her without luck. Everyone wants this brief moment of arrival. And when the coffin gives the basilica, then the woman hears again:”Goodbye! Goodbye, dad! Goodbye, goodbye …“Quickly disperses those that the mobile phones wielded.
Do not disperses Regina, Regina Tano, rather wielding a poster where you can read “Saint immediately”Or holy alreadya phrase that the faithful use to wish to be immediately the canonization of a Pope, or of religious figures. It was often said when the death of John Paul II.
It’s Italian, Romana, is a woman, transsexual, and is 60 years old. “Yes, I know it doesn’t look like,” he jokes. He arrived in the square several hours ago. “Because I came? I came because Francis is in the heart, for what it was, for what he did, for the proximity to the poor, the marginalized, the humble. And my community too, LGBT. For all he always had a word of understanding, acceptance.”
Regina remembers the church before Francis. “I suffered, we suffered. If we talk about Ratzinger, yes. And even before John Paul II the church was more rigid. There was no, there was not even the conception of who we are. And with Pope Francis there was openness. Through this church I have respect. From a ‘other’ church… [Pausa] It’s not that I don’t respect, but I prefer to get away. ”
As we talked – high, big glasses, hat with tigress pattern, and showy patterns, and jewelry – is observed, photographed, and accesses the poster: poses, smiles, shows. Returns to the conversation. He spoke of the church before the Pope who came to honor; But what church will come later? “For him, Francis, we were all children of God. Trans women too. But a Pope who is conservative may no longer think so.” He says he is not worried, because they are different times and wills, and have changed.
“It’s not a problem. The church is made of men. And it’s not because a Pope is more conservative that the whole church will soon become conservative. The church has advanced, yes. Catholic people, everyday, no longer have a problem with the LGBT community. And if a more conservative pope, patience, will be worse for him. changes. ” It is thrilled when it declares it.
– Did you cry today?
– Not today, not here.
– Why?
– Because I cried everything in St. Peter.
– When did you go? Right on the very day of his death. Two, three hours later.
– It was difficult …
– I couldn’t stand it. [Emociona-se novamente] For me it was like a father.
– A father?
– An older man, in which enormous confidence is deposited.
When leaving Regina, we found Consuelo Mesones. It brings on the shoulders an Argentine flag. It is Argentina, nothing and created in Buenos Aires. And for being 30, and being where it is, Francis is for her Bergoglio, “Papa Bergoglio.” “Even after becoming Francis, he continued to be Bergoglio for us, and to tell us exactly the same.” And what do you tell you, consuelo?
Is also responsible for the Argentines of the capital, those who are barriosthe streets. “He asked us to take care of each other, he asked us to be more attentive to those who need us, that we wondered by the marginalized. He kept the message we heard in Buenos Aires. Barrios and it went out streetsI knew everyone, was very close, very ours. Never behelked up for formalism, never lost in ceremonies. It was genuine. ”
Consuelo still recalls the day Francis was elected Pope. “It never crossed my mind. When we knew it was him, we all said a little unbelievers: ‘Wait there, Bergoglio?!’ On top of that I lived around his corner, knew who he knew, he was where he was going. ” Today he does not live in Argentina, he is emigrated in Scotland, but when he learned of Francisco’s death he did not think twice. “I looked for a flight soon. I had to come to his funeral, had to be here with him, say goodbye. He never returned to Argentina, but we looked away.
Despite the large crowd of popular, Consuelo says he was able to see Francisco, a glance. “I saw the line of cardinals, priests, and then the ballot box I saw it badly. But it doesn’t matter. I am grateful. It matters what he left me: he brought this church to the streets, withdrew it from the closed temples, which is not where it should be, and brought it in search of the brother, the church. enjoyed. ”
-You were thrilled to say this …
– Same. But it is not of sadness, it is of joy.
From the departure of the Basilica will already the couple Guilherme Esteves and Mariana Arraia. Brazilians, he from Rio, she Paulista, but the two have been living for two years in Vila do Conde. They brought to the funeral of Francis The two children, the most petiz that is still in the lap. They arrived an hour before the procession arrived, managed to approach the crowd, but not pierce for it.
Guilherme no. Mariana yes. “I got the babies, because the crowd began to thicken, and Mariana tried to approach.” The idea of coming was from Mariana. The family is on vacation in Rome, “the trip was already marked for a long time,” and hosted very close to the basilica, “so in breakfast she said ‘let’s pay our tribute’-and we came.” “It’s a historic moment, isn’t we? We had to attend.”
Speech is now from Mariana, who says that Francis “is much more than a symbol of the church.” “There are people who transcend their own religion. It was special for the themes they raised, delicate issues that can be uncomfortable. Defended the minorities, defended women. The disadvantaged, the homosexuals. All those who are so often on the sidelines. I hope the next [Papa] Don’t reverse it. But it is also difficult that it is like him. ”
Guilherme fears a setback. “The threat is real. Not only to the Church. And with the growth of the far right in recent elections, it is necessary to have faith to believe that all the advances made will not soon be broken.” Leaves the couple. And next to the Basilica no longer throw themselves, almost pray, “Scusate, Scusate!” to be able to pass.
