Adios, Papa Francesco!

Rome, 2025

Mario José Bergoglio or as the world knew him, Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday in 2025, in the 14th year of his papacy. The whole world had been mourning and eagerly following the events in Rome during the days after his death. The bishops and cardinals as well as state leaders changed their schedule to be able to attend the festive funeral on Saturday.

Upon hearing the news which reached Hungary around 10.20 in the morning, I almost immediately booked my one-way ticket to Rome and arrived to the Saint Peter Square at 10 PM the same day. Thus, I was the only Hungarian photojournalist who had covered the events since the day of Pope Francis’ death. I covered special prayers for the late pontiff or the three-day long public viewing of the Francis’ open coffin where over 250,000 people payed hommage to him.

However, beyond this extraorinary moments, I have had a special relationship to Pope Francis. He was for me a beacon of light, the source of immense hope and the freshness of the Spirit. Someone who had had the wisdom to show the face of Christ through his unusual and symbolic gestures transcending ideological frontlines. As I was the official photographer at his visit to Hungary back in 2023 when he met the clergy in Saint Stephen Basilica, I have already developed a connection to him thorugh my lens. Since his passing away, I dearly miss him. Adios, Papa Francesco!