This Monday, thousands of Mexicans gathered at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City in a collective mourning for the death of Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff. Some of the faithful, like Ramiro Escamilla and his wife Rosaura, traveled from the municipality of Chimalhuacán, State of Mexico, to bid farewell to the pope at the Basilica.
"Like many people, we came from Chimalhuacán and many people came from those sides to witness the mass, in which we felt the loss of Pope Francis," commented Escamilla, who received the news of the passing from his son in the early morning, just a few hours after the death.
Lupita Mazón, from the state of Puebla, had planned a visit to the Basilica for her granddaughter to get to know the place, but she advanced her trip upon learning of the death of Pope Francis. She received the news with sadness, expressing that she hoped the pope would recover from his illness, but that only God is in control of each person's time.
Pope Francis passed away at 07:35 AM in Rome due to a sudden stroke, which led to a coma and ultimately to irreversible cardiovascular collapse. Mexicans expressed their sorrow for this loss, eagerly awaiting who will be the next religious leader.
At the mass convened by the primate archbishop of Mexico, Carlos Aguiar Retes, the Marian chapel of the Basilica overflowed with faithful. In this same place in 2016, Pope Francis officiated a ceremony with nearly 50,000 people, where he prayed for the victims of violence in the country.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Catholic mother Lorena Arteaga highlighted Francis's legacy, noting that he said goodbye to his people with a blessing at Easter and continued working until his last moment. His commitment and dedication as a religious leader inspired many faithful present at the Basilica of Guadalupe.
Mexico is a country with a significant Catholic population, nearly 98 million faithful, being the second country with the most Catholics in the world after Brazil. The significance of Francis's visit in 2016, as well as his connection with the Basilica of Guadalupe, demonstrates the importance of the religious leader in this country of deep-rooted Catholic faith.
Outside the temple, visitors like Esther Martínez, a Peruvian tourist residing in the United States, expressed their surprise at the number of people who came to the place to honor the memory of Pope Francis. Highlighting the teachings of the pontiff, the Christian faithful united in a feeling of sorrow for his departure, reflecting on his legacy and example of service to God and others.
