ATLANTA — People in Atlanta continue to mourn the life of Pope Francis, after he passed away on Monday.
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A crowd filled Christ the King Cathedral on Thursday for a mass for the repose of the soul of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. The service brings together people from all different backgrounds and even religions, with local rabis and Islamic leaders among the congregation.
Those in attendance, like Deacon Lenny Alexander, reflected on how Pope Francis embodied a message of unity.
“He was welcoming to all people, all races, all colors…he was a man open to the people of the world,” said Deacon Alexander.
Others in attendance were Amanda Acevedo, who shared how Pope Francis gave them hope for a better future.
“As the years go by, times are getting harder. And people are judgmental at times, and I think that he was helping people get past that,” explained Acevedo.
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Ashley Morris, Director of the Black Catholic Affairs of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, spoke to the significance that the People’s Pope played within the African American community.
“We have about 70,000 or 60,000 African American Catholics who call the Archdiocese of Atlanta home. The individuals in the communities that I serve tend to really like Pope Francis because he was definitely very concerned about meeting the needs of people,” said Morris.
Archbishop of Atlanta, Gregory John Hartmeyer, who’s been traveling since Monday, said that he’s been stopped by dozens of people expressing their love and support for the Pope.
“He says hope will never disappoint. It’s a living legacy that the Pope leaves us,” said Archbishop Hartmeyer.
The Pope’s funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Vatican City time on Saturday (4 a.m. local time).
Over 200,000 people are expected to attend the service in Italy.
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