Cork priest speaks about experience of being in the Vatican for Pope Francis' funeral

The funeral mass for Pope Francis took place in St Peter's Square in Rome on Saturday, with the Bishop of the Diocese of Cork and Ross Fintan Gavin describing him as a “Pope of the people.” 

An estimated 200,000 people made the journey to the Vatican to pay their respects. Among the many world leaders who were in attendance at the funeral included an Irish delegation of President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris.

Cobh based priest, Fr Aquin Casey, spoke to The Echo about his experience of being in the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis.

“I feel very blessed to have been here. To be part of the Catholic Church, you see how universal it is on a gathering like this.

“If people have ever been to an All Ireland final in Croke Park, I am not sure how much you would multiply it by, but it was my first time ever experiencing anything at this scale of people attending at the one time and leaving at the one time.

“But having said all that, it was so calm and respectful. Before the mass, which was something I had never experienced again, they said the rosary just before the mass and it calmed everyone down.

“It was certainly the holy spirit working I think to get everybody in. We weren’t there for a concert or an event.

“It was like any other mass really and the prayers were the same, but of course on a bigger scale obviously and with the Vatican choir.

“So I would have to say it was a once in a lifetime experience to be actually there for it. As a priest as well to take part which I thought was wonderful.

“There was great unity, respect and participation.”

Speaking ahead of the funeral, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “First of all, it is a particular honour to be here as Taoiseach with the President of Ireland and indeed the Tánaiste, to represent the Government and the people of Ireland at his Holiness Pope Francis’s funeral.

“In recognition of his very strong leadership. Both spiritually over the last number of years and also in terms of the very strong recognition of the relationship between Ireland and the Vatican, and the many common issues that we worked on together.

“Particularly in terms of climate, in terms of the conduct of foreign policy, human rights and his very strong and fearless stance on war and conflict. Particularly in more recent times in the Middle East and in Sudan.

"Indeed in many areas around the world he sent peace envoys to secure peace.

“He was I think a people’s Pope, who reached out and very inclusive. In our view through his pastoral approach, won many friends and opened many doors.”

Meanwhile, Bishop Fintan Gavin, who was not in the Vatican on Saturday, said: “It was wonderful to see so many people gather. From world leaders to church leaders to ordinary people, all wanting to express their closeness to the Pope.

“I watched it on the television, I didn’t travel out for the actual funeral.

"The Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re spoke about the simplicity of Pope Francis and he spoke about how he put migrants , the poor and the marginalised at the centre of his ministry and that ministry of outreach.

“That is significant when you have world leaders there listening to that. It is just the heart of who he was.

“He was very much a Pope of the people and that was celebrated. There was a great solemnity and yet there was a simplicity of the bare coffin being laid out on the steps of St Peter’s Square.”