Who is the American journalist who took part in Pope Francis' funeral

First speechmaking astatine Pope Francis' ceremonial

American Kielce Gussie delivers archetypal speechmaking astatine Pope Francis' funeral 05:19

Thousands of radical from astir the satellite paid their respects to the precocious Pope Francis arsenic helium was laid to rest connected Saturday successful Italy.

Among them was American writer Kielce Gussie, who played a relation during the ceremonial Mass astatine St. Peter's Square, wherever she did the archetypal reading.

"My archetypal thought was 'Oh my god' but then, aft I thought 'this is specified a immense honor,' to beryllium a portion of this momentous occasion," she told CBS News up of the funeral. "Also, for me, it's specified a large mode to accidental convey you to Pope Francis."

The 28-year-old is an American writer with Vatican News who has a Bachelor of Arts from Mount St. Mary University successful Maryland and a licentiate grade successful Church Communication from the Pontifical University successful Rome.

American writer Kielce Gussie did the archetypal speechmaking astatine Pope Francis' funeral. CBS News/Cameron Stewart

Born and raised Catholic, Gussie has been surviving successful Rome since 2019, wherever she worked arsenic a quality shaper for EWTN and Rome Reports earlier becoming a Vatican News newsman successful October 2024. She is besides a contributor to the Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano.

She met Pope Francis doubly earlier his death: the archetypal time, helium blessed her rosary, and the 2nd time, connected her birthday.

"In those moments, I didn't spot him arsenic the caput of the Catholic Church, I saw him arsenic a grandfather," she said. "And truthful for me, I volition retrieve him arsenic idiosyncratic who truly cared for each idiosyncratic that helium met."

Francis is breaking with caller contented and volition beryllium buried successful the St. Mary Major Basilica (Santa Maria Maggiore), wherever a elemental underground tomb awaits him with conscionable his name: Franciscus.

Tony Aiello contributed to this report.

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