“Pope Francis was a very sensitive man and loved Greece. He had humanity associated with the truth of the Gospel and his views bothering many“

In these words, Pope Francis describes Fr. Julio Gramenia, a monk of the Order of the Capukines, who arrived in Greece from Venetet, Italy in 1990 and is a pastor of the Catholic Church of St. Francis, in the Saint Anargyroi, who is in the Archbishop.

‘A simple pope’

“You know was the first and only Pope to choose the name Francis. And he did it because Francis of Assisi was associated with poverty. His love for the poor and ordinary people was central to his mission, “says Julius as he opens the door to the church of St. Francis, who has been operating for 50 years in Agioi Anargyri.

According to the church of St. Francis, Pope Francis had impressed the whole Roman Catholic world with the fact that “it was from another continent, a completely distant country. Although it came from Italy, he grew up in Argentina, this was historical. The second I remember was that he was the first Pope to come from the Jesuit Order, had never been done. “

Fr. Julio points out that Pope Francis “was a really very simple Shepherd. He lived alone, did not want to stay in the bishopric, he also used public transport “and that he was particularly interested in” those who were in need, the poor, the isolated and the margins. As I said, a simple man who spoke directly on the part of the genuine Gospel. “

‘It bothered many with what he said’

Pope Francis, whether they had to do with immigration, or the war in Ukraine and the bloody events in Gaza, had made sense.

“Pope Francis had a worldwide range and prestige,” adds Julio, stressing that he was “annoying many” after his words, meaning countries leaders. “He helped the poor, the sick, the patients, the disabled, to say that God is compassionate and is trying to raise man from difficult situations. […] I think Pope Francis emphasized this with his teaching and actions, and with the gestures he made and it bothered quite a bit, even some through the church. “

Raised stature for migratory

Pope Francis visited Greece twice, 2016 and 2021, and this, according to Fr. Julio, “shows that he loved her. He made a trip in 2021 to the Dodecanese to see, to meet the refugees, to bring them a support, a message of hope that they are people and they must respect their rights. But also to send a message around the world or at least here in the West that if there is this phenomenon of refugees, it is because in other countries there is war, poverty, injustice and they are forced to abandon their favorite home for better living conditions. The Pope had perceived that these trips made these trips, that some were starting and not arrived. […] This humanity (by Pope Francis) is linked to the messages of the Gospel. Christ never said “you are a Jew”, “You are Greek”. I was hungry and you gave me to eat, it was me, I was thirsty me, in prison come to see me, it was me. This is the revolutionary message of the Gospel that Pope Francis made it contemporary with his words and actions, ”he notes.

The next day in the Vatican

Asked about the next day at the “steering wheel” of the Roman Catholic Church, P. Julio argues that “the early days will pass and we will all deal with the Pope who died, with the epic ceremony that will take place and then we will begin the process for the election of the next Pope”.

The pastor of the church of St. Francis says that “someone who wants to become a Pope is entering the Pope and Cardinal comes out” we are used to saying, that is, the upside. Look, in addition to the humans we say, in some way we trust the action of the Holy Spirit, which is the one that guides the Church in some way, and protects it and guides it into the storms and difficulties, as a ship, a boat swinging by the storms. The Holy Spirit will surely choose and bring a right person, at the right time. ”