A group of transgender people will be among the roughly 40 individuals selected by the Vatican to offer a final send off to Pope Francis before he is interred in the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore on Saturday.
According to organizers, the group will stand on the steps of the basilica, each holding a white rose, to pay homage to the late pope. In addition to representatives from the transgender community, the group will include migrants, prisoners and others representing communities close to the pope’s heart.
Bishop Benoni Ambarus said that the decision to include this group of people in the pope’s send off is symbolic of his concern for the most marginalized.
Pope Francis, who died on April 21, addressed LGBTQ issues in a manner that rattled many traditional Catholics and raised the expectations of progressives.
In 2023, Francis became the first pope to officially back the repeal of legislation criminalizing homosexuality. More than 60 countries criminalize same-sex activity; the death penalty is the punishment in a dozen jurisdictions. Being homosexual is "not a crime," Francis told.
Rest in peace!
