Pope Francis mourns the death of a priest very close to him

This Sunday, Pope Francis remembered the Spanish Franciscan Manuel Blanco, his confessor, who died last Thursday, and revealed that this morning he had gone to the church where he lived, in the Roman neighborhood of Trastevere.

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“The other day Father Manuel Blanco, a Franciscan who had lived for 44 years in the church of ‘Santi Quaranta Martiri and San Pasquale Baylon’ in Rome, died,” the pontiff said from the window of the Apostolic Palace, before hundreds of faithful. who listened to him from St. Peter’s Square.

Francis remembered him as “a superior, confessor and counselor.”

“Remembering it today, I would like to remember the many Franciscan brothers, confessors and preachers who have honored and honor the Church of Rome. Thank you to all of them,” he concluded.

Father Manuel Blanco, from Zamora, died on the night between Thursday and Friday at the age of 85, the Franciscan Order reported in a statement, in which he recalled his career in the Church and “more recently as confessor of Pope Francis.” “.

The clergyman’s funeral will take place tomorrow, Monday, June 24, in the church of Santi Quaranta Martiri and San Pasquale Baylon,” the note reads.

However the Argentine Pope revealed during the Angelus that this morning he had visited this church in Roman Trasteverealthough the Vatican has not yet confirmed the visit.

Pope Francis talks about Ukraine and Palestine

“Let us continue praying for peace, especially for Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, I see the flag of Israel…” he said, alluding to the presence of the Israeli flag among the faithful in St. Peter’s Square.

He later revealed that he had also seen the Israeli banner on a Roman balcony when returning this morning from the church of ‘Santi Quaranta Martiri’, where his late confessor resided.

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