Last honor – Van der Bellen was laid out on the Pope

According to the Vatican, around 250,000 people said goodbye to Pope Franciscus in St. Peter in the past two days – so until the deceased Pontifex was closed at 7 p.m. On Friday, more believers than expected, while the holy chair continued. For comparison: the open box of the predecessor of Francis, Benedict XVI. had visited around 195,000 believers.

“It is important for my wife and me to say goodbye to Francis. He was a very important pope in different ways. He was the head of the Catholics, but every splendor was far away.

“Francis was a personality who really told us a lot because of his behavior, because of his statements. I was lucky to meet him twice.

Real power is in the service of the weakest
“Pope Franciscus has always reminded us that true power is in service to the weakest. He can rest in peace. Buon Viaggio, Dad Francesco. E Grazie! (Good journey Pope Francis, and thanks!

“For me, the name Francis will always stand for closeness and humanity. He was an impressive personality. In my two official visits to the Vatican I experienced him as an interested, intellectual and attentive person. His spirituality was also noticeable,” says Van der Bellen.

“Francis impressed millions of believers”
“Pope Francis impressed and enthusiastic about millions of believers – we feel his effect in Rome today. I think it was also due to his frank and direct way: he never looked away, he looked. And with him looked at the world. Again he made a headlight where he plead the puters on Saturday.

Chancellor Christian Stocker also had the last honor of the Pope. “The death of Pope Francis is a painful loss for the Catholic Church and believers in Austria and all over the world. In Rome I say goodbye to a special person who will be reminded by his service to the weakest of society and for his tireless dedication to tolerance, peace and justice. He can rest in peace,” said in an opinion.

After condolence in Petersdom, the federal president and Stocker visited the church of the German -Pure Community Santa Maria Dell’anima near the Piazza Navona. In the “Anima” the Austrian state leadership will meet in the evening with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and the chairman of the Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Franz Lackner, as well as the Bishops Wilhelm Krautaschl, Benno Elbs and Aegidius Zsifkovics. They will all participate in the funeral service for Pope Franciscus on Saturday, who start at 10.00 at St. Peter’s Square.

Pilgrim church and papal funeral location
The Pontifical Institute Santa Maria Dell’anima takes care of the German -speaking pastoral and pilgrimage pastoral care in Rome and the leadership of a priestly lecture. The Austrian-German National Foundation is based on a foundation of the spouses Johann and Katharina Peters from the Dutch Dorfrecht, which founded a hospice in the 14th century for “poor people of the German nation” under the title “Sancta Maria Animarum”.

The church of the “Anima” is still the pilgrimage church and the center and the “parish church” of the German -Sprek -Catholics in Rome. In 1859 the former Anima Pilgrim Hospice became fellow student for priests. Priests from the German-speaking area or the countries of the former Holy Roman Empire of the German nation still live in Rome in the “Anima Kolleg” during their studies.

In addition to the Basilica of St. Peter and Santa Maria Maggiore, the “Anima” is one of those few churches where a pope is buried. In particular this is the Pope Hadrian VI from Utrecht. He is the first pope of reform in view of the Reformation caused by Martin Luther. Hadrian VI. Couldn’t do much because of his short term. Moten as Pope On January 9, 1522, he died in Rome on September 14, 1523 and found his earthly resting place in the “Anima”.