Camille Naredo

Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiates the mass in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis at the start of the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in The Vatican, on April 26, 2025. Andreas Solaro, AFP

Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiates the mass in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis at the start of the funeral ceremony at St Peter's Square in The Vatican, on April 26, 2025. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

Article (news)

Pope Francis

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745659056550AFP__20250426__43K37XP__v1__Preview__VaticanReligionPopeFuneral.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiates the mass in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis at the start of the funeral ceremony at St Peter&#x27;s Square in The Vatican, on April 26, 2025. Andreas Solaro, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re officiates the mass in front of the coffin of late Pope Francis at the start of the funeral ceremony at St Peter&#x27;s Square in The Vatican, on April 26, 2025. <em>Andreas Solaro, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>VATICAN CITY, Holy See -- Pope Francis was &quot;a pope among the people, with an open heart&quot;, who strove for a more compassionate Catholic Church, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said Saturday in his funeral homily.</p><p>&quot;He established direct contact with individuals and peoples, eager to be close to everyone, with a marked attention to those in difficulty, giving himself without measure, especially to the marginalized, the least among us. He was a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone,&quot; he said.</p><p>The late pontiff&#x27;s efforts to help refugees, migrants and poor people were &quot;countless&quot;, Battista Re said.</p><p>&quot;His gestures and exhortations in favor of refugees and displaced persons are countless,&quot; Battista Re said in front of thousands of guests, including <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/26/trump-in-rome-for-pope-francis-funeral-in-first-foreign-trip-of-new-term-1310">US President Donald Trump</a>, with whom Francis had clashed over the treatment of migrants.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/26/funeral-of-pope-francis-begins-at-vatican-1614">READ: Funeral of Pope Francis begins at Vatican</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/26/francis-s-funeral-to-be-grand-farewell-to-pope-of-the-poor-1249">READ: Huge crowds flock to Vatican for Pope Francis&#x27;s funeral</a></div><p>Pope Francis, who famously refused to judge gay or divorced Catholics, believed the Church &quot;is a home for all,&quot; Battista Re also said.</p><p>He was driven by &quot;the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open... a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds&quot;, he said.</p><p>Francis, the Catholic Church&#x27;s first Latin American leader, urged &quot;reason and honest negotiation&quot; in efforts to end conflicts raging around the world.</p><p>&quot;Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions,&quot; Battista Re said.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kmTQikfrAQk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Pope Francis was "a pope among the people, with an open heart", who strove for a more compassionate Catholic Church, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said Saturday in his funeral homily.</p>

Pope Francis was "a pope among the people, with an open heart", who strove for a more compassionate Catholic Church, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said Saturday in his funeral homily.

Francis was 'pope among the people, with an open heart': homily

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

Francis was 'pope among the people, with an open heart': homily

Agence France-Presse

Published April 26, 2025 05:18 PM PHT

Read More:

absnews

Pope Francis

Pope Francis funeral

Rome

Italy

Catholic Church

Vatican

Holy See

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.