A moving image of Sister Geneviève Jeanningros silently approaching Pope Francis’s coffin touched millions around the world. Breaking Vatican protocol, she stood in silence, handkerchief in hand, tears in her eyes. “I loved him deeply, that’s all,” she later said.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away on April 21 at age 88. Known for his empathy and openness, he left a powerful legacy. Sister Geneviève first met him in 2005 in Buenos Aires during a memorial for her aunt, a victim of Argentina’s dictatorship. Bergoglio, then archbishop, supported the service, beginning a lasting bond.
