Cardinal Sir John Ribat had the honor of representing Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Oceania during the recent conclave and the funeral of the late Pope Francis in the Vatican City.
Cardinal Ribat recounted that during the funeral of Pope Francis, more than 100 leaders from around the globe gathered to pay their respects.
“This assembly included not only heads of state but also representatives from various faiths, such as Muslims and Baha’is.”
“All attendees took part in this significant event. Pope Francis was a widely acknowledged and respected leader, embodying that role throughout the ceremony.”
“His importance was also recognized by the United Nations, as everyone in attendance came to honor his legacy.”
He further spoke about the inauguration of Pope Leo.
The inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo marked the start of his ministry as the Pope for the entire church worldwide.
“During this event, we all came together on the 18th of May. The cardinals, bishops, priests, and the congregation were present. The ceremony took place outside in St. Peter’s Square, while we rested inside the Basilica.”
“After we had rested, we were guided from the sacristy to the front where Mass is usually held, which is above Peter’s tomb.”
“We were all taken there and asked to wait. As we stood there, looking forward in anticipation, it was really the Pope along with those responsible for the event who arrived. They processed him in.”
“For many of us, including myself, it was our first time witnessing this, and it was significant for him to assume his role as the patron of the ministry of St. Peter, who was indeed the leader of the entire church.”
“We were all eagerly waiting for him, and he eventually arrived. They descended, to visit St Peter’s tomb. He paused there to pray for a moment and then returned. After that, we were given the signal to begin the procession.”
“The cardinals started to move to St. Peter’s Square for the Mass inside the sacristy.”
“I was approached by those who were organizing and preparing the liturgy. So, this person came to see me and said that I had been selected. I was to be one of those who would go and show my respect and vow of obedience to the Holy Father, as this was his first time receiving the pallium.”
“He had already received the pallium for his previous work, but this one was specifically for the archbishop and as the leader of the entire church.”
“Five representatives from five continents were selected to represent everyone. I represented the entire Oceania region.”
In regard to the conclave, Cardinal Ribat stated that it lasted for a short time.
“If you count the days, it was only two days. However, if you count the hours, it was actually just one day when everything took place.”
“We began voting on Wednesday afternoon while we were there to get ready. We were asked if we wanted to vote at that moment since it was the end of the day. Everyone agreed, noting that we had many votes to carry out, so we should proceed with this one.”
“After that, we had two more votes to finish the process. The first vote included all nations.”
“Importantly, no candidate was ever elevated to the position of Pope.”
“Furthermore, when we were seated to vote, we had to take an oath, which was truly between the Lord Jesus, and me.”
He stated that Pope Leo was speechless at the cardinal’s choice of him being the new pope.
“After his election, he had to place his trust in God’s plan and accepted it. He had no words, just tears. That was how he responded.”
“Once the voting was finished, he went to what is referred to as the room of tears. He asked everyone to wait there. The voting results were to be brought to the room of tears, where he would lead prayers and other ceremonies afterward.”
“He got ready to present himself to the public. We were positioned at four balconies or windows, all aligned.”
“There were 133 bishops and 133 cardinals in attendance. He stood in the middle, prepared to greet the people.”
“The venue was full, and it was an extraordinary experience to witness,” Cardinal Sir Ribat expressed.