Mourners watched on as an emotional moment between two old friends played out as the world mourns Pope Francis. Sister Genevieve Jeanningros, 81, had known the Pontiff for more than 40 years and she was allowed to approach His Holiness as he lay in state in the Vatican.
The French-Argentinian nun was seen on the Vatican TV cameras paying her respects to her old friend as she was allowed to get closer than normal to his coffin. The inner circle around the pope in these circumstances is usually reserved for cardinals, bishops, and priests, but church authorities broke protocol and allowed Sister Jeanningros to also say goodbye at a nearer vantage point.
In July last year the the Vatican's news agency shared images of Pope Francis sitting next to Sister Jeanningros as he visited a community of circus performers at the Ostia Lido amusement park, in Ostia.
Today (Friday) Sister Jeanningros came back to see her friend Pope Francis, who affectionately nicknamed her 'L'enfant terrible' meaning terrible child. Dressed humbly in her religious attire the nun wore a blue headscarf and at one point began to cry before taking a tissue and wiping her eyes.
On Saturday the eyes of the world will be on the Vatican as a massive open air funeral is held for Pope Francis in St Peter's Square with leaders and dignatories from around the world attending.
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