While thousands gathered in Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral and to follow the Conclave, and millions more are watching from afar, there is a special group that just happened already to be in Rome for this special moment in history – college students studying abroad.
And it's been quite the experience.
Because of its cultural, historical, and religious treasures, Rome has long been home to many study abroad programs. Students we talked to from Christendom (Virginia), University of Dallas (Texas) and University of Mary (North Dakota) are just a small sampling of the students who are here for what several termed a “surreal” semester.
Unexpected last moments with Pope Francis
Like so many who come to Rome, many Catholic college students find that seeing the Holy Father is a highlight. And since Pope Francis had been ill, seeing him this semester was a rarity. Still, many students were among the crowds who had a chance to see him at Easter Mass, the day before he died.
Dalila Sarinana from the University of Dallas shared, “I got to see Pope Francis on Easter Sunday! It was a moment of intense joy and admiration. Pope Francis passed directly in front of me during his visit and I could see how tired he was. It was a great testimony on his part of his love for us.”
Dalia wasn’t the only one who pointed out the Pope’s visibly weakened condition.
"I started praying for him because I thought to myself, 'I don’t think he can recover from this.' I was just really struck by his grit to come around the Square to see his people,” said Madi Gifford from University of Mary.
Anna Hsu from Christendom College agreed, saying, “We were touched by how much he was visibly pushing himself to be there for his flock. He looked very uncomfortable, but he stayed out for so much longer than we expected.”
Here are images from those moments; article continues below
Of course, none of them knew that this would be their last chance to see the Pope.
Evan Seelig from Christendom said, “It made the experience of that day seem even more significant. I consider myself blessed that I was able to hear his last public words and receive his last papal blessing.”
The Papal Funeral and Francis' legacy
Madi said when she got the news on Easter Monday that the Pope had died she “hopped on my bike -- because I could get to St. Peter’s faster that way -- and started pedaling.”
Pope Francis has been the Holy Father for more than half of these college students’ lives. Dalila had the opportunity to attend the Papal funeral and kept talking with her classmates about how incredible it was to see leaders from around the world come to honor his legacy. Reflecting on his papacy, she touched on his heart for immigrants, something she empathized with, as she comes from a border town in Texas.
“He stretched himself to far ends of the Earth to reach the people who had otherwise never been sought.”
Mercedes Skidd from the University of Dallas added, “One thing that struck me at the funeral was the presence of Eastern Orthodox bishops… I didn’t realize how monumental Pope Francis’ attempt to heal the rift between our two wings of the faith had been.”
Thanks to a friend’s connections, Madi had the special opportunity to pray in front of Pope Francis’ casket for a few extra minutes:
"It was very special to me because I got to spend some extra time in prayer in front of his body. This was really a gift from God to have this moment.”
Maggie Popp, Student Life Coordinator at the University of Mary Rome Campus, also came to pray, saying that “it felt as familiar as attending the wake of a friend or relative who had passed.”
Evan remembered Pope Francis’ humility and service to others, saying it reminded him of St. Francis.
“I remember seeing Pope Francis on TV refuse to let someone else carry his suitcase as he was coming to the United States several years ago… I’ve seen his example of service in a picture of him kissing someone’s foot before he washes their feet.”
Maggie recalled a moment that others across the world witnessed as well -- when the Pope gave the Urbi et Orbi blessing during the pandemic.
“I am still deeply moved, and I believe this was a moment that certainly marked his papacy and characterized him as a shepherd concerned for his flock… Our world was in turmoil, but we had a good father who sought to bring us what we needed and wanted most, particularly in that moment: Jesus in the Eucharist.”
Here are images from that Urbi et Orbi blessing in 2020; article continues below
Rome prepares for the Conclave
“Honestly … it’s absolutely wild,” Paul Kariuki from the University of Mary exclaimed when asked about being in Rome during the Conclave.
“I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that I’ll be in Rome — the Eternal City — for five weeks … Now, with the conclave added on top of all that, it’s almost surreal. The whole world’s eyes are on the Church right now: major media outlets are covering every development in Rome, from Pope Francis’ funeral to the election of the next pope. To be in the heart of it all, during such a historic moment, is beyond anything I could have imagined."
Dalila echoes his enthusiasm: “The best thing about the Conclave beginning is seeing the Church in action. The Church is vibrant and alive. It is full of tradition that remains valued. I keep seeing cardinals walking in the streets near St. Peter's -- it's crazy! There are also a lot of retired cardinals helping at masses around Rome. Just last Sunday, I met Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela who voted in the Conclaves that elected Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.”
Anna also has sighted some Cardinals, including attending Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday with an English Cardinal who blessed some of her brother’s religious items.
Watching for White Smoke
The students are poised to welcome the new Holy Father, many with plans to regularly monitor for the appearance of white smoke signaling the successful vote for a new pope. Evan explains that the Christendom students have the great benefit of studying at the Augustinianum, which is very near St. Peter’s colonnade.
"So we will be very close to St. Peter’s and will keep an eye out for any smoke and an ear out for the sound of bells. I also hope to go to St. Peter’s at noon and 7pm every day to watch for white smoke."
The others, of course, have similar plans!
The impact on these students’ lives is still to be seen, but one thing is for sure: it's a time they will never forget.
Paul shared a personal reason why being in Rome means so much to him:
My mom was raised by a teaching father and a farming mother in a small rural village in Kenya with 12 children. They never forgot to teach the faith. My mom raised me as a single parent, putting in more work and more hours in the first 18 years of my life than some people do in a lifetime. She never forgot to teach me the faith. Now, my mom gets to watch as her son travels to the Vatican, witnesses the election of a new pope, and receives a blessing from him. If my story isn’t a testament to God answering prayers and making ways where there were none before, then I don’t know what is.
Mercedes sums it up, saying that being here during this time puts “it clearly into perspective that our faith is so alive here in the heart of Rome and consequently around the world.”
