Luc Frieden: "Pope Francis will remain a symbol of humanity and unity"

In an interview with the Luxemburger Wort newspaper, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden shared his deep impressions of Pope Francis' farewell ceremony, which drew tens of thousands of people and leaders from nearly a hundred countries to St Peter's Square in the Vatican.

According to Frieden, the pontiff's farewell was a historic event because of Pope Francis' unique simplicity. His approach of being close to people rather than standing arrogantly above them was clearly evident even in his final farewell. People of different faiths and cultures flocked to Rome to pay their respects, creating an atmosphere of global unity.

Luke Frieden was at the epicentre of the moment, sitting in the same row as the King of Jordan and the Prime Minister of Greece. Both current and former US presidents were also present. The Prime Minister noted that he had met Joe Biden and his wife again - the acquaintance, which began at the NATO summit in Washington, confirmed Biden's friendly relations with Europe.

Two moments with Pope Francis remain particularly warm for Frieden. The first was a private audience during the pontiff's visit to Luxembourg, a meeting that took place in a simple and humane atmosphere. The second is the recollection of the Easter blessing in St Peter's Square on the eve of the Pope's death, which now seems a kind of farewell gesture from a great spiritual leader.

Frieden especially noted that Pope Francis was far from the image of an aloof ecclesiastical monarch. He went out to people, drank coffee in the streets of Luxembourg, and won hearts with small gestures.

Luc Frieden concluded the interview by expressing his hope that the new Conclave will choose a Pope who, like Francis, will have sensitivity to the global problems of humanity, rather than being confined to a narrow Roman perspective.