“It is not enough to just open the door in welcome…we must go out through the door to seek and meet the people.”
—Pope Francis
In the heart of the Vatican, near the coffin of Pope Francis, stood one solitary figure within breathing distance of the casket, head bowed, hands trembling around her rosary beads, a pilgrim of love and grief, no one dared to move—Sister Genevien Jeanningros.
Wearing a simple navy garment and a blue handkerchief, she wept quietly, a small well-worn backpack on her shoulders, saying goodbye not to the Pontiff, but to Jorge — her beloved friend of 40 years. Light from a high window spilled down like a silent blessing, touching her and the coffin.
Pope Francis affectionally called Genevien: "L’enfant terrible” because of her dedication to helping marginalized groups. From the Order of the Little Brothers of Jesus, she lived her life among the poorest, the rejected, and the forgotten—transgender women, the homeless, festival workers.
Every week, she brought them to the Vatican’s general audiences to see Francis, and then, in turn, welcomed them with open arms, meals, and love. On this day, the Vatican guards stood back in reverent silence. They did not see a nun breaking protocol—they saw a life lived in fearless compassion, devotion, and friendship. In that sacred moment, Sister Genevien didn’t say goodbye to a Pope. She said goodbye to her brother in mercy—a soul who, like her, believed the poor and the outcasts should sit at the center of the feast.
P.S. While the cardinals gather in Conclave (see the film on the big screen if you haven't already) it’s hard to imagine they’ll find another Pope who will make himself so deeply available to the people worldwide (see photo images).
