The pontiff will be fired by groups traditionally excluded from the Church, such as trans people, migrants, the poor and prisoners.
The Pope Francis, known as the “pope of the poor”, will be buried this Saturday in the Basilica of Santa María Maggiore, in Rome, fulfilling his wish not to rest in the Vatican. Before his coffin crosses the doors of the temple, it will be received on the steps by a group of people made up of poor people, prisoners, migrants and, especially, members of the trans community.
This gesture, confirmed by the Vatican press office, perfectly summarizes the spirit of his pontificate: bringing the Catholic Church closer to those who have historically been marginalized, not only by society, but also by the religious institution itself.
A tribute full of dignity: trans people at the center
About forty vulnerable people – including a significant number of trans people – will hold a white rose in their hand to bid farewell to the pontiff. It will not just be a symbolic act. It will be a vindication of dignity, visibility and recognition.
The decision to explicitly include trans people in this solemn moment marks a milestone that, for many, seemed unthinkable just a few years ago. Beneficiaries of projects such as Hogares Lázaro, which works in Spain for the integration of young people and people in situations of social exclusion, will also be present.
A choice that speaks of love and change
The Vatican has recalled that “the poor have a privileged place in the heart of God”, as well as in the heart of the Pope, who chose his name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi to never forget the most vulnerable.
Francis asked to be buried in a simple way: in the ground, under an austere slab that will bear only his name, Franciscus. He also asked to be received, on his last journey, by those who symbolize his commitment to a more inclusive world.
For Benoni Ambarus, secretary of the CIS Migration Commission, this gesture is deeply emotional: “He will be received by his beloved Mother (Salus Populi Romani) and by his beloved children, who walked by his side on the margins.”
Real inclusion or an isolated gesture?
Although Francis’s last farewell represents a powerful symbol of openness, it cannot be ignored that resistance persists within the Church to the recognition of full rights for trans people and the LGTBIQ+ community. Will this farewell be a real turning point? Or will it remain a moving but isolated image in the history of the institution? The answer, perhaps, is yet to be written.
