A kiss sent by Francisco: “He was a brother”

Salvatore Cernuzio – Vatican City

With her great green backpack, her worn shoes, her veil on her head and her deep blue eyes, sister Geneviève Jeanningros had queued this morning early in Via della Conciliationin the middle of one hundred and twenty -eight thousand faithful and pilgrims who were heading to the Vatican Basilica to present their respects to the Pope. Next to him was the exuberant and nice Laura Esquibel, from Paraguay:

In fact, the Pope from time to time remembered her and praised his empanadas: «Ah yes, of course, I cooked them from time to time and sent them. I loved him very much ».

Calls, help, and jokes

Sr. Geneviève, the little sister of Jesus, Angel of the Ostia, poor and transsexual traders, listens, nods and smiles. She, the “good girl”, the “terrible enfant” of almost 82 years, was a person very dear to Francisco, who called her on the phone, helped her and even made jokes mocking affectionately from her.

Like that time, during the visit of July 31 to Luna Park De Ostia, where the sister passed years and years of pastoral work. When the pontiff asked the circus attendees: «But explain to me one thing: what does Sor Geneviève here? Dress the lions?

Or also when – during one of the many general audiences in which the nun was in the front row carrying groups of that humanity that already suffers the one she takes care of – Francisco, seeing her with a girdle in the arm, asked: “What did you do?” “Holy Father, I have fallen.” “And the ground hurts?” A joke in reference to the tanned spirit of this woman, of just over a meter and a half of height, of friendly treatment and simple heart.

Crying next to the coffin

The image that has gone viral of it, however, is Wednesday, day of the transfer of the body of the pontiff to the basilica, when, breaking every protocol, separated from the tail and remained crying in a corner. Cross arms, handkerchief on the eyes, his gaze addressed to the Pope “friend and brother.”

Sor Geneviève does not want to comment that moment: “I can’t do it,” he said outside San Pedro, with his eyes still bright. It is the fourth time he will see the Pope, but he always has the same reaction. Everyone has looked for her these days for an interview or a memory: «No, I can’t do it. I don’t want to talk to anyone, I apologize, ”he repeats with his marked French accent. The sisters spread a one -minute video testimony for web, radio and television pages.

“I loved it very much”

The nun agrees to share a brief reminiscence with the Vatican media, not to show off a special relationship, but only – underlines – to pay tribute to a “great” potato. “I can’t do it because it’s too much, you know? I have loved him too much, that’s all ».

Jorge Mario Bergoglio says he will miss «his eyes, his gaze, when he told me to move on. And also your help. We had a lot of help. Yes, yes. But maybe more moral help, you see, we came so many times, its reception had no limits. And then much hope.

Father, brother, friend

«I always say he was a father, a brother, a friend. Everyone will miss him. And it shows. I am excited to see so many people, ”says the nun, stating that her community is” sad “:” We came last night, today Laura is, then I wait for others “

This morning, Sor Geneviève prayed to Pope Francis’s coffin, and finally sent him in kiss by hand. Another gesture of tenderness after having cried for three days: «Many had told me: when you go with Pope Francis, take us with you. And so I trusted everything ».