The respect of delivering the primary studying at Pope Francis’ funeral Mass on Saturday fell to Kielce Gussie, an American who works as a reporter with Vatican Information.
It was, she stated on social media, “a good way to say goodbye” to the pontiff.
In a powerful, resonant voice earlier than the numerous hundreds of mourners who had gathered in St. Peter’s Sq. in Vatican Metropolis, Ms. Gussie learn from the Acts of the Apostles 10: 34-43, a Bible verse that Francis chose for the service and that holds giant significance for Catholics.
Ms. Gussie, 28, grew up in Florida, and graduated from Mount St. Mary’s College in Maryland with a level in theology, in accordance with her LinkedIn profile. She started working in Rome in 2019, in accordance with her profile, and final October joined Vatican Information — a information company that Francis created to bolster information protection of the church and the Vatican.
“I’m actually comfortable to be right here as a result of it’s a good way to say goodbye to Pope Francis,” Ms. Gussie said on social media outside St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday morning earlier than the Mass. She added that her final reminiscence of Francis was from her birthday. “He gave me just a little blessing,” she stated. “It’s actually a particular strategy to spend my birthday.”
She stated it had been troublesome to see Francis develop frail in his closing days, “however he gave every part till the tip.”
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