Sister Geneviève Jeanningros is among millions of Catholics worldwide mourning the passing of Pope Francis. The late pontiff, whose birth name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, led the Catholic Church for 12 years before passing away at 88 from a stroke on Easter Monday (April 21).
He was chosen as pope on March 13, 2013, just days after his predecessor, Pope Benedict, resigned due to advanced age.
Sister Geneviève’s connection with Pope Francis dates back long before his time as pope. According to PEOPLE, their friendship began in 2005, when she traveled to Buenos Aires for the reburial of her aunt, Sister Leonie Duquet, a nun who died during Argentina’s dictatorship in the 1970s. At that time, Francis was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and had authorized the reburial.
Geneviève, who is well known for her work with the LGBTQ+ community, developed a close friendship with Francis through weekly meetings with LGBTQ+ groups. Just last July, Pope Francis even visited his now 81-year-old friend in Ostia.
On Wednesday (April 23), as the late pope lay in state at St Peter’s Basilica, Sister Geneviève broke Vatican rules by approaching the casket to say her final goodbye. At that time, only male cardinals, priests, and bishops were officially permitted inside to pay their respects.
A poignant moment showing the nun tearfully saying farewell with a tissue in her hand was widely shared on social media, touching many hearts. NBC News reported that no one stopped her, allowing her several private moments to grieve.
Speaking to Noticias Telemundo at the Vatican before the funeral, Sister Geneviève described Pope Francis as “a father, a friend, and a brother.” She mentioned that she visited and paid her respects to him every day, not just during the viral moment. “Many people told me: when you go to see the Pope, take us with you. I cried for them too,” she explained to the Vatican press service.
The last time she saw the pope was in July in Ostia Lido, where she also brought Laura Esquibel, a trans woman from Paraguay. Laura shared, “I was the first trans woman to shake his hand. I’ve met him seven times, we’ve had lunch together. I liked him a lot.”
However, after her emotional farewell, Sister Geneviève has declined further interviews, saying the loss is too much to talk about: “No, I can’t. I don’t want to talk to anyone, I’m sorry. I can’t because it’s too much, you know? I liked him a lot, that’s it,” she told GI.
More than 250,000 mourners visited Pope Francis before his funeral, and thousands more, including royalty, political leaders, and dignitaries, gathered in St Peter’s Square for his final farewell. Among them was US President Donald Trump—whose conduct was harshly criticized compared to the nun’s—as well as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.