The day I met Pope Francis: Cambridge hairdresser recalls ‘humble’ man as his death is mourned
A Cambridge hairdresser has recalled the moment he met Pope Francis last year, following the Vatican’s announcement on Monday morning (21 April) that His Holiness had died.
Piero D’Angelico travelled to the Vatican as part of a Cambridge delegation of members of the Order of St George the Martyr.
“We’re all sad about it,” said Piero. “The fact that he wanted to meet us was completely unexpected.
“The hospitality was great, and he blessed the city of Cambridge, blessed all the authorities. It was a great day.”
Piero remembers that during the visit, the Pope talked about “the fight for peace”, and that “the world is thirsting for peace”.
“That’s the sentence that he got in our minds at the meeting,” he said, “and we have the duty to defend that.”
Piero said that Pope Francis came over and spoke to the group during the visit, adding: “When we were formally announced in St Peter’s Square, it was a beautiful experience.
“As a Pope, as a man, he was so humble, he was warmly welcoming every single person there.”
Piero, who runs a hair salon in Mill Road, said: “He definitely made history; I’m still in shock because I saw his message last night [Sunday, 20 April] and he was very peaceful and thanking everybody for their words and for the support. And he died peacefully.”
He said that Pope Francis’s dream was to unify the Catholic and Orthodox churches and for them to celebrate Easter together.
“And it did happen - that was the greatest thing,” he said. “For example, yesterday [Easter Sunday] I was sharing greetings with Orthodox friends, and we were celebrating at the same time.
“It was something Pope Francis really wanted for a long time - and it did happen. And yesterday, you could see his face was very pleased to see everybody celebrate Easter together.
“He gave everything he had and he will definitely be remembered. He was a good Pope.”
Piero also met Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II. The latter blessed his marriage to Gabriela after their 25th anniversary, something he mentioned to Pope Francis.
“Pope Francis smiled and said, ‘I’ll grant you another 25!’. That moment for me and my wife was priceless. He had a great sense of humour,” said Piero.
The members of the Order of St George the Martyr travelled from Cambridge to Rome to meet the Pope at the Vatican in November last year.
The group, led by the Order’s Grand Master, city councillor Robert Dryden, spoke of the “great honour” of having a private audience with the Pope.
During the trip, they also visited the historic grave of St George, the British Embassy in Rome and the Italian Parliament’s Senate of the Republic House, the Jewish quarter of Rome and The Venerable English College, where the Order was given a tour of the historic seminary.
The order also visited the Italian Senate, hosted by Senatrice Gisella Natural, and the group received a private tour of the Palazzo Madama, including a rare opportunity to sit in The Aula, the chamber where Italian parliamentarians deliberate and vote.
Piero said at the time of the visit: “Everyone had a wonderful time and it is the first time in living memory that the Order has been to the Vatican.”
Abdul Kayum Arain, chair of the Cambridge Muslim Trust, also paid tribute to Pope Francis following news of his death.
He said: “In this time of deep sorrow, I, on behalf of the Muslim community, extend our heartfelt condolences to the Christian community and all people of faith on the passing of Pope Francis.
“His Holiness was indeed a figure of great compassion and dedication to peace, justice, and inclusivity.
“He was a servant of humanity, tirelessly advocating for unity, understanding, and respect for all people, irrespective of their faith or background.
“His efforts in promoting peace, dialogue, and the protection of the weak and oppressed are admirable and in line with the values that Islam, Christianity, and Judaism all hold dear.
“As we mourn his passing, we also reflect on his legacy of kindness and peace.”
He added: “Pope Francis’ Easter Sunday message was one of peace and unity, where he emphasised, ‘There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression.’ These words resonate deeply with the values that Islam, Christianity, and Judaism all uphold, reminding us of the essential need for mutual respect and dialogue.
“In his final address, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with those suffering from conflict, particularly the people of Gaza, calling attention to the ‘deplorable humanitarian situation’ and urging a call for ceasefire, the release of hostages, and aid for those suffering from hunger.
“His message of peace and justice echoed across the world, and his call for efforts aimed at achieving a ‘just and lasting peace’ continues to inspire us all.
“His lifetime wish of fostering greater unity and cooperation between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church is a testament to his unwavering dedication to interfaith and inter church dialogue.
“Pope Francis’ role in the active development of contacts between these two great Christian traditions exemplifies the importance of building bridges and finding common ground, a principle that aligns deeply with our Islamic belief in fostering unity and peace among all people.”
He also recalled the meeting on 13 November, 2024, describing it as “a moment of profound connection with Pope Francis”.
“Our delegation was honoured to be introduced at the Vatican’s General Audience,” he said. “A central aspect of this mission was the presentation of heartfelt gifts and letters of appreciation from Cambridge dignitaries, including myself, Abdul-Kayum Arain, chair of the Cambridge Muslim Trust, on behalf of the Cambridge Muslim Community. We were deeply moved by Pope Francis’ call for action on global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and conflict resolution.
“His words urging us to “pray for peace” and to “act in the service of humanity” resonate deeply with the Islamic teachings of compassion, justice, and serving others.”
“His call captures the essence of his mission to promote peace, justice, and the welfare of all people.
“During that visit, Pope Francis personally greeted our delegation with warmth and blessing. He gave us rosary beads, which symbolise a commitment to faith and unity.
“As we stood before him, we were reminded of the shared values that connect our faiths - the pursuit of justice, the promotion of peace, and the call to serve humanity.”
Meanwhile, a Cambridge-based Catholic nun and theologian has praised Pope Francis for placing women in decision-making positions within the church but expressed her wish that his successor can go “further and faster” on the issue.
Sister Gemma Simmonds, a past president of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain, said she hopes that within her lifetime women will be able to become deacons.
This role, currently only held by men in the Church, would allow women to perform marriages and funerals, bring sacraments to the sick and preach regularly.
A permanent deacon is not the same as a priest, a role also only held by men in the Catholic Church.
Ms Simmonds, a senior fellow at the Margaret Beaufort Institute in Cambridge, said there is evidence women were deacons in the past and insisted questions around greater roles for females “will not go away”.
The 68-year-old said: “I would love to see women have more of a voice within the Church.
“As things currently stand that is not going to happen unless we have women ordained to the diaconate. I don’t see as a theologian any cogent theological or historical reason why that should not be so.
“I would have loved to have seen Pope Francis move on that faster. I still live in hope that I will see that before I die.”
Announcing Pope Francis’s death, Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell, a senior Vatican official, said in a statement on Monday: “At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune.″
The 88-year-old Pope had emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
He had recently resumed some official duties during his recovery from pneumonia.
He made his first public appearance since his bout of double pneumonia on 6 April, when he appeared in St Peter’s Square in a wheelchair during a special Jubilee Mass for the sick following his discharge from hospital two weeks previously.
The King and Queen visited the pontiff at the Vatican on 9 April, the day Charles and Camilla celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell paid tribute to Francis, whom he described as “witty, lively, good to be with”.
He said in a statement: “Pope Francis was acutely aware of the divisions between our churches and how they stand in the way of seeing Jesus Christ more fully.
“I remember the powerful work the Pope did with the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland in promoting peacebuilding in South Sudan.
“He was a listening Pope whose commitment to the principle and the process of synodality will be a permanent legacy to the Roman Catholic Church and to all of us.
“I remember, in the brief times I spent with him, how this holy man of God was also very human. He was witty, lively, good to be with, and the warmth of his personality and interest in others shone out from him.
“May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”
