The passing of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025 despatched ripples of grief throughout the globe, drawing tens of millions to St. Peter’s Basilica to honour the beloved pontiff.
Amid the solemnity, one second stood out: an 81-year-old nun, Sister Geneviève Jeanningros, broke Vatican protocol by approaching the restricted space close to the pope’s coffin to weep and pray.
Sometimes reserved for cardinals and bishops, this sacred area was off-limits, but officers allowed her to remain. Who is that this French-Argentine nun, affectionately dubbed ‘L’enfant horrible’ by Francis, and why did the Vatican make an exception?
Uncover Sister Geneviève’s Distinctive Bond
Sister Geneviève, a member of the Little Sisters of Jesus, was no stranger to Pope Francis. Their friendship started in Argentina, the place she labored with marginalised communities, mirroring Francis’ personal mission.
After transferring to Rome, she lived in a circus caravan, visiting the pope each Wednesday, typically bringing alongside transgender people or others from society’s fringes to fulfill him. This mirrored Francis’ inclusive ethos, as he as soon as known as her a ‘dwelling instance of the Gospel’ for her work with the poor, in response to edatv.news.
Her niece, Léonie Duquet, was a sufferer of Argentina’s army dictatorship, including a layer of shared historical past with Francis, who navigated that period as a Jesuit chief.
On 24 April 2025, as Francis lay in state, Sister Geneviève’s grief overcame protocol. Clutching a inexperienced backpack, she crossed boundaries to kneel by the easy wood coffin, sobbing overtly.
Posts on X captured the second, with customers like @CatholicSat noting her deep bond with the pope, calling it a ‘testomony to his humanity’. Vatican officers, recognising their closeness, permitted this breach, a uncommon exception for a determine recognized for difficult norms herself.
Perceive the Vatican’s Unprecedented Determination
The Vatican’s choice to permit Sister Geneviève’s method wasn’t nearly sentiment—it mirrored Francis’ personal legacy of breaking boundaries. As the primary Latin American pope, he simplified his funeral rites in 2024, choosing a single coffin over the normal three to stress humility, per Yahoo News.
His wake, open to the general public for 3 days, noticed St. Peter’s Basilica stay accessible in a single day because of overwhelming turnout, with over one million mourners by 25 April 2025. Permitting Sister Geneviève to grieve publicly aligned with Francis’ imaginative and prescient of a ‘folks’s Church,’ the place compassion trumped formality.
Her presence additionally carried symbolic weight. Recognized for her work with Rome’s Circus neighborhood and marginalised teams, she embodied Francis’ name to serve the ‘peripheries.’
Officers escorted her gently, guaranteeing she might pay respects with out disruption. This act underscored the Vatican’s respect for Francis’ friendships, particularly with those that shared his radical compassion.
Rejoice a Legacy of Compassion
Sister Geneviève’s second on the wake wasn’t only a private farewell, it was a robust image of Pope Francis’ papacy. From 2013 to 2025, he championed the poor, reformed the Vatican, and embraced the marginalised, incomes the title ‘folks’s pope.’
Her protocol-breaking act, allowed on 24 April 2025, mirrored his personal disregard for inflexible traditions, like selecting burial at Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore over St. Peter’s crypt.
Sister Geneviève Jeanningros’ emotional farewell to Pope Francis was greater than a breach of protocol—it was a testomony to a friendship rooted in shared religion and repair. By permitting her to grieve by his aspect, the Vatican honoured Francis’ legacy of placing folks over pomp.
