The tribute of the faithful to Pope Francis was massive, moved and sincere, both in the days preceding the funeral and immediately afterwards. The press room of the Holy See last Friday, in the very early afternoon, had released the provisional number of pilgrims who were paraded until 12 on the same day: about 150 thousand. In the evening, the final count showed that the faithful, at 7 pm, had risen to 250 thousand. At the funeral on Saturday, an estimated crowd was attended around 250 thousand people, a figure that rises to 400 thousand including all those who greeted the Argentine Pope along the way to Santa Maria Maggiore.

A significant participation, which once again testifies to how no world leaders are able to mobilize so many people in such a short time. It is no coincidence that Francesco was called “the Pope of the people”, the “Pope of the people”.

The difference with the other popes

With the passing of the days, however, the comparisons with the other great recent Pope, John Paul II, who in the last half century had been able to convey to Rome, or wherever he was, crazy oceanic of enthusiastic faithful, especially young people, have inevitably started. In this sense, the numerous world days of youth inaugurated by the Polish Pontiff were unforgettable. Upon the death of John Paul II in 2005, about a million people arrived in the capital, with twenty hours queues for a last farewell, and doors open also during the night in San Pietro to allow the incessant tribute. In addition, vigils were organized all over the world which involved, according to estimates, about three million Christians.

The enthusiasm manifested during the Wojtyla funeral with the famous signs “Santo immediately”, a request that, as well as known, the Vatican Authorities, forced to exceptionally accelerate the beatification process thanks to a pantry of Benedict XVI, was significant.

Those who have been in Rome these days or carefully followed the chronicles clearly noticed that all this has not repeated themselves for Francesco. The numbers of the appearances to the funeral rites are lower, also considering the particular context of the ongoing Jubilee (to that of teenagers, thousands and thousands of people had long been planned), which in itself had already filled Rome. To this must be added the festive bridge, which would still have recorded the fully sold out regardless of the Pope’s disappearance. And certainly the signs that invoked immediate canonization have not been seen this time.

The Pope of the people

Thus the race was triggered to seek explanations for the least emotional and numerical involvement compared to the predecessor. There have been many interpretations, and probably each contains a fragment of truth.

Some observe that the very long pontificate of John Paul II had allowed him to visibility and a deeper bond with the crowds (even if the twelve years of Bergoglio are not few). Others underline the strong emotional root of the churches of Eastern Europe towards Wojtyla and the geographical proximity of Poland compared to Argentina, a factor that is not negligible in the organization of spontaneous travel.

The warm church with Bergoglio

There were those who supported, perhaps a little mischievously, that Francesco was a pontiff appreciated more outside the Church than inside, which would have led to a more warm involvement by practicing Catholics. Finally, someone suggested that Francesco’s strong and radical message has not been completely understood, especially by the most conservative Catholics.

All these interpretations probably contain a part of truth. One thing, however, appears certain: Pope Francis, the great Francesco, would never have exchanged the integrity and strength of his message with some more presences at his funeral. And who knows that precisely those who today have given him the least enthusiasm do not end, over time, to re -evaluate it deeply.