Sans souscription. Leonardo, un tailleur à Rome, prépare des vêtements religieux pour les prêtres, les évêques, les cardinaux et même pour le pape François. Son atelier a fourni des vêtements utilisés par le pape pour des occasions spéciales. Alors que des milliers de personnes sont attendues pour les obsèques du pape François, des préparatifs sont en cours pour accueillir la foule. Dans une boutique d’objets liturgiques, on se demande comment sera le prochain pape et comment cela pourrait influencer les affaires. Certains préfèreraient un retour à une tradition plus ostentatoire, tandis que d’autres apprécient la simplicité du pape François. Avant les funérailles pontificales de samedi, une certaine agitation règne parmi les commerçants autour du Vatican. Sans inscription. A person wearing a rosary on April 21, 2025. (MOHD RASFAN / AFP)
«It’s a special time because we are expecting even more visitors,» acknowledges Leonardo. This tailor works for a workshop located near the Vatican. He offers clothing for religious ceremonies. His workshop supplies garments «mostly for priests» but also for bishops, cardinals, and even the pope.
«This is an outfit that Pope Francis used for the baptism of children this year, in January,» informs Leonardo. «The embroidery is very simple, very beautiful. We were lucky to be able to make it,» continues the tailor, proud «to have dressed Pope Francis on certain occasions.» For Leonardo, «knowing that he is no longer here is also, for us, a bit emotional.»
Another atmosphere in the Borgo district, adjacent to St. Peter’s Square: with his black suit under the sun, Father Cataline rushes to tailors in search of a cotton tunic. Not too warm for the summer. And it tires him a bit, as he cannot find the right cut or the right fabric… In short, he spends the morning doing so. «As they say, clothes don’t make the monk,» smiles the Romanian priest who officiates in Bologna. But he explains that it is important, nonetheless, to have an outfit worthy of the event.
Like him, thousands of people are expected for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, April 26: more than 60,000 people have already paid their respects, on Wednesday, in front of Pope Francis’ coffin at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome where the faithful continue to flock, two days before his funeral in the presence of numerous world leaders.
At least 200,000 faithful are expected for the funeral, during which the coffin will be taken to St. Mary Major, a basilica dedicated to the Virgin where the pope will be buried according to his wishes. Some 130 foreign delegations have so far confirmed their presence at the pope’s funeral, including 50 elected heads of state and ten sovereigns, the Vatican announced on Thursday.
Everything seems ready to welcome the crowd in Leonardo Cardoza’s shop, neatly lined up on the racks: purple, green, gold, or white… «We can make something for 100 euros, a stole or something with precious stones, crystal for over 1000 euros.» In subtext: simple like Francis, or more opulent like his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
So, what will the next pope be like? This could change everything for business. In her shop of liturgical objects, Paola Mango opens the window and shows us a silver chalice. The kind of object that, in its luxurious version, can go up to 1200, 1300, even 1600 euros.
So, she readily admits, with a big smile, that it wouldn’t bother her if they returned to a more ostentatious tradition: «From a, let’s say, commercial point of view, yes, it would suit us,» she says. Before adding that, as a Christian, she liked the «simplicity» of Pope Francis.
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