Today is one of those days when one’s particular faith no longer matters, for we are all the creation of a single God, regardless of the name by which we call Him. What matters instead is what one feels, what has ennobled one’s existence up to this moment. Today, once again, we experience the symbolism of the “final journey”, which is not merely a physical passage towards the place of burial, but an expression of the soul’s journey towards eternal life and communion with God. In Catholic theology, life is understood as a pilgrimage, and death as the beginning of eternal life. The “final journey” symbolises the soul’s ultimate passage towards its encounter with God. The funeral procession from St Peter’s Basilica to the papal crypt symbolises the transition from this world into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Pope, as the “Vicar of Christ on earth”, is seen as following Christ’s example to the very end. His death is an imitation of Christ’s own path towards the Cross and subsequently towards the Resurrection. The funeral liturgy includes Paschal elements, as a symbol of hope in the Resurrection.
Although the papacy is a position of great eminence, the Pope’s death is marked by simplicity and humility. The “final journey” serves as a reminder of the transience of life and of the equality of all before death. The simple wooden coffin, carried on the shoulders of the faithful, in contrast with the splendour of the Vatican, symbolises this return to the very essence of faith. The Pope’s “final journey” is not merely a personal one, but also a communal experience. It represents the communion of saints, the continuity of the Church, and the mourning of the entire Catholic community, reflected in the presence of religious leaders, political figures, and believers from all over the world, united through collective prayers and shared liturgical gestures.
Metaphorically, one might say that the footsteps of His Holiness Pope Francis no longer resound upon the ancient stone, yet their echo remains—gentle and profound—within a Vatican shrouded in silence, where the bells do not weep, but hope. A wooden coffin, simple as the Gospel itself, embraced by candles and incense, is borne upon the shoulders of those who believe that humility is the key to the gates of eternity. This is not an end, but the beginning of the journey of which the Shepherd once spoke in quiet tones when he preached mercy and forgiveness; now, he himself steps into eternity. Above, the dome is no longer marble, but an open heaven, where Christ awaits him…
