In a moving homily delivered at Tortona Cathedral on April 23, Bishop Guido Marini—former Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations—offered a heartfelt tribute to Pope Francis, highlighting the late pontiff’s profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his unshakable faith, humanity, and compassion.

Bishop Marini recalled one of Pope Francis’ early remarks that revealed his sincere and uncomplicated devotion to Our Lady: “With the Madonna, you don’t split hairs.” This spirit was evident throughout Francis’ pontificate, including his desire to be buried near the icon of Salus Populi Romani in the Basilica of St. Mary Major—a place of personal pilgrimage before and after nearly every journey.

Marini shared a moment when he had to find a suitable rosary for a public veneration of the Virgin of Fatima. All he could find was a beautiful, golden one—something he hesitated to present to a pope known for his love of simplicity. Yet Pope Francis surprised him, saying: “It’s perfect, because with the Madonna you don’t split hairs; a golden rosary is just fine.”

Marini also recounted an episode during the same celebration, where the Pope urged him, “Come, come, come—because you go to meet Our Lady; you don’t make her wait.” This reflected a reverent but profoundly human approach to Marian devotion—respectful, spontaneous, and free of theological over-complication.

Mercy was the defining thread of Pope Francis’ papacy. During the first penitential liturgy of Lent, Pope Francis chose to set an example by publicly confessing before the faithful, catching even the confessor off guard. When Marini later asked him about the change of plan, the Pope responded: “I wanted people to understand the beauty of confession, the joy of God’s mercy.”

The Argentine pontiff also believed that joy was central to Christian life. Bishop Marini recalled his words: “I enjoy going among the people with a smile, making little gestures—because I want to share the joy of the Lord.” That joy formed the essence of his first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium—The Joy of the Gospel.

At World Youth Day in Lisbon, Francis’s repeated call—“Todos, todos, todos” (everyone, everyone, everyone)—expressed his dream of a Church that listens, welcomes, and shares the Gospel with all, without exception.


Marini reflected on the Pope’s push for synodality—not for the sake of bureaucracy, but to breathe life into communion, shared responsibility, and authentic participation. Francis saw it as essential for mission: “Mission only flows from communion,” he would often say.

The former liturgical master offered a glimpse of Francis’ empathy: “One day after meeting with the poor, I saw him weeping—truly weeping—in the sacristy. Their pain was his pain.” After visiting a juvenile prison early in his pontificate, the Pope told him: “Every time I go to a place like this, I ask—why them and not me?”

To Marini, Pope Francis was “the parish priest of the world.” Whether it was a phone call to a grieving family or a note to a distant parish, he reached across borders with personal, human touches. The image of him alone in a rain-slicked St. Peter’s Square during the pandemic, praying for the world, remains one of the most poignant portraits of his papacy.

Finally, Bishop Marini spoke of Francis’ courage in seeking reform: “The Church needs renewal in every age,” the Pope often said. Though it made him unpopular in some circles, Francis never shied away from confrontation. After his inaugural Mass, he remarked: “Today’s joy reminds me of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. But don’t forget—the Passion comes next.”

In Bishop Marini’s reflections, Pope Francis emerges as a man of deep simplicity and fearless love—a leader who lived the Gospel with clarity, conviction, and compassion.