British tourist tells of sombre atmosphere in Rome following death of Pope

Belfast Telegraph - 14:40
A British tourist who had travelled to Rome for Holy Week has spoken of the sombre atmosphere in the city following the death of Pope Francis.

Antoni Bohdanowicz, 39, from Berkshire, had come to the Italian capital with his wife Jelena and her family as part of a pilgrimage as a tribute to her late mother.

The couple, who attended the Easter Sunday service in St Peter’s Square, said they were shocked by the late pontiff’s appearance as he greeted pilgrims and tourists from the popemobile.

Pope Francis greets crowds in his popemobile on Easter Sunday (Antoni Bohdanowicz/PA)

“He was in an awful state on Easter Sunday,” Mr Bohdanowicz told the PA news agency from Rome.

“Everybody was aware of his health, but the atmosphere was quite joyous.

“He had pilgrims from all over the world. I was standing next to Slovakians, Colombians and a group of pilgrims from Lesotho.”

Pope Francis, who was the first Latin American pontiff, died in the early hours of Easter Monday at the age of 88.

Mr Bohdanowicz, who is half Polish, said he returned to St Peter’s Square to pay his respects.

“People on the square were touched, they were cr...
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