Catholics at the Vatican and around the world are mourning Pope Francis this week — and Minnesotans are among them.
Carleton College student Aselya Gullickson is studying medieval history in Rome this semester. She saw Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday — just one day before his death.
Gullickson said the Pope appeared on a balcony in a wheelchair. He said just a few words — “Buona Pasqua,” which is “Happy Easter” in Italian.
The packed crowd of thousands was excited to see him. The Pope had recently spent weeks in the hospital.
“Everyone was cheering and shouting encouragement at him,” Gullickson told MPR News host Tom Crann. “It was really cool that he could make an appearance when he was feeling unwell.”
Gullickson is not Catholic herself — she grew up in the Lutheran tradition. But she thinks Pope Francis will leave a legacy beyond just the Catholic faith.
“His care for people and advocating for minorities, immigrants, and Palestinians. Caring for people, especially when other religious and political leaders are not sticking up for others in the same way,” she said.
Listen to the interview with MPR.