A Lexington priest who met with Pope Francis frequently says he’s shocked and saddened by the pontiff’s death the day after Easter. Father Jim Sichco is a papal missionary of mercy and evangelist for the Diocese of Lexington.
“He seemed to be bouncing back. And then to go and deliver that brief message, and then to get in the Popemobile and ride around the square – it was as if he knew that he wanted to be with his people one last time.”
Sichco said the last time he met with Pope Francis was three months ago, two days before he was hospitalized. Sichco enjoys wearing different eyeglasses and said their deep discussion took an unexpected detour.
“He looked up at me, and he said, ‘Where did you get those?’ And I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Your eyeglasses, those are very original, you know, those are very original.’ He kept saying ‘Originalis, originalis,’ So that's who he was. He loved to connect with people.”
Pope Francis was known as the people’s pope. Sichco said he was able to make things real – to put flesh and bones on things that, at times, seemed very distant and very unreal.
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