Funeral Mass for the Pope at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna

The mass at St. Stephen's Cathedral was celebrated by the Archbishop of Salzburg, Franz Lackner, Chairman of the Austrian Bishops' Conference, and numerous Austrian bishops. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP), and several representatives of Austrian politics were also present.

In his sermon, Archbishop Lackner particularly emphasized the mercy that was a concern for Pope Francis - "like the pastor of the world." "The heart is the spiritual center of a person; from there our actions and thoughts receive their selfless goodness," he stressed. "God has the heart of a loving father," Lackner quoted the Pope. With his writings, he "erected lighthouses of faith."

Already on Easter Monday, the day of the Pope's death, hundreds of people had gathered in St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna for a requiem mass to commemorate the late Pope Francis. The sermon at the so-called small requiem was delivered by the recently retired Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn.

Believers want to thank and say goodbye

Again on this Monday, numerous believers gathered in St. Stephen's Cathedral. Among the people who had already come to the cathedral on Easter Monday were Georg and Gertraud from Vienna, who now want to say goodbye to Pope Francis once more. "We came here because we greatly revere the Pope," said the older man from Vienna. His wife enthusiastically adds: "He was the best Pope I have ever experienced in my life! I believe he was a saintly person."

Josef, who came to the mass alone, had also commemorated the deceased in the cathedral on Easter Monday. "He was a good Pope, he spoke to me," says the older man. Isolde, a doctor from Vienna, is here mainly to thank Francis: "I want to say thank you to him and ask him to continue praying for us."

A young father, also named Georg, has also gathered in the cathedral with his family. "I am a candidate of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem," he says. He sees it as his duty to pray for the late Pope. "Francis was a role model for me in humility, simplicity, and steadfastness in faith," describes the elegantly dressed young man.

Eduardo and Kathryn from the USA actually came to Vienna for professional reasons, for a scientific conference, and took the opportunity to say goodbye to Pope Francis at St. Stephen's Cathedral. "I attended World Youth Day three times and saw Pope Francis there. I liked how connected you felt with him," the young man recounts.

Also for professional reasons, the Greek Ekatherini is in Vienna. The Orthodox Christian sees attending the requiem at St. Stephen's Cathedral simply as a "good opportunity to say goodbye to the Pope."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.