Cathedral bells ring out 88 times as people pay respects to Pope in Armagh

By David Young, PA

As the bells at St Patrick’s Cathedral rang out 88 times to signify each year of Pope Francis’s life, inside young and old sat in silent reflection to mark the death of the pontiff.

Outside the landmark twin-spired cathedral, flags of the Vatican City flew at half-mast as people arrived to pay their respects.

Among those stopping by to say a prayer and light a candle were of the local congregation but also others from further afield who felt drawn to the seat of the Catholic Church on the island of Ireland.

Shortly before 2pm, the Catholic primate of all-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin and the Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell led an impromptu prayer service ahead of formally opening a book of condolences.

“Over the next few days, I imagine many people will come here just to sign their names because I think we all loved Pope Francis and he was a great witness to us,” said Archbishop Martin.

“Even in the last few months with his own illness and being able to carry that suffering and show resilience in the face of suffering. I know it meant a lot to a lot of people who were like him, frail and maybe struggling and suffering in their final days.

“He was very, very convinced that God was merciful and he kept saying that ‘I am sinner’. So I am just hoping and praying that the merciful God today is welcoming him into his heavenly home.”

One of those who came to pay respects was local Armagh man Patrick Douglas.

He travelled to the Knock Shrine in Co Mayo in 2018 to see Pope Francis just as he had journeyed to Galway in 1979 when Pope John Paul II had visited Ireland.

“It’s just lovely to come up here to the cathedral today,” he said.

“Just to light a candle and say a prayer.”

Claire and Barry O’Neill came to the church with their children, Clara and Ben Og and nephew Conan McGerr.

The family had been away on holiday for a few days in Carlingford, Co Louth and decided to divert to the cathedral on their way home to Moneymore in Co Derry.

“He was a man that changed the world,” said Mrs O’Neill.

“He wanted to make a difference, no matter what you were, to guide everybody, whatever your faith is, just to bring everybody together.

“He was very humble, very empowering.”

Mrs O’Neill said it had been an uplifting experience to be in the cathedral on such a day.

“Everybody’s here to pay their respects to a really nice man,” she added.