Who is the Nun Who Breached Protocol at Pope Francis's Funeral?

Amid the solemn farewell ceremony for Pope Francis, who passed away last Monday at the age of 88, a scene moved those present in St. Peter's Basilica. The image of an octogenarian nun, with a green backpack on her shoulder, approached the Pontiff's coffin, breaching the strict Vatican protocol to pray and cry in silence. It was Sister Geneviève Jeanningros, an 81-year-old nun and a close friend of the Pope, known for her tireless work with the marginalized in Rome.

Who is Sister Geneviève Jeanningros?

Sister Geneviève from the order of the Little Sisters of Jesus has dedicated more than 56 years to serving the most disadvantaged, especially transgender women and fairground workers in Ostia, a coastal area of the Lazio region. She lives in a caravan with another nun, Anna Amelia Giacchetto, sharing the daily life of the communities she assists.

Her commitment to the marginalized made her a bridge between these groups and Pope Francis, whom she brought closer to a reality that many ignore.

Born in France, Geneviève is the niece of Léonie Duquet, a French nun kidnapped and murdered in 1977 during the military dictatorship in Argentina. This, along with Alice Domon, took place during an operation led by the repressor Alfredo Astiz.

This tragic legacy marked her life, leading her to get involved in the defense of human rights and to keep a special bond with Latin America, particularly with Argentina, the Pope's native country.

A Friendship of More Than 40 Years

The relationship between Sister Geneviève and Francis began when he was Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Their connection was strengthened by their shared commitment to the most vulnerable and by the wounds of the Argentine dictatorship. Since the Pope also had ties with victims of the repression, like Esther Ballestrino de Careaga, his first boss.

Francis, who affectionately nicknamed her L'enfant terrible for her rebellious spirit and courage, saw in her an ally in his mission of a Church close to the poor.

Every Wednesday, Geneviève brought groups of fairground workers, homeless people, and transgender women, many of whom were engaged in prostitution, to the Vatican's general audiences. Francis not only received them but also invited them to lunch and offered financial support.

One of the most emblematic moments of their friendship occurred on July 31, 2024, when the nun managed to have the Pope visit the amusement park in Ostia.

The visit was organized to bless a statue of the "Virgin Protector of the Traveling Show and Circus" and to meet with the fairground workers. It was a historic event that reflected his closeness to the "last ones" of Rome.

The Gesture That Moved the World

During the lying in repose in St. Peter's Basilica, while cardinals and bishops bid farewell to the Pontiff one by one according to protocol, Sister Geneviève discreetly approached the coffin. She ignored the rules that reserved initial access for ecclesiastical authorities.

She stopped at the side, praying and crying for several minutes—some sources say up to 20 minutes. No one, neither the Swiss Guards nor the gendarmes, dared to interrupt her, in a tacit acknowledgment of her special bond with Francis.

With her backpack on her shoulder, the short nun embodied a moment of humanity amid the ceremonial rigidity. Her gesture was not a transgression but an intimate farewell to a friend and fellow fighter. As she herself expressed in the past, Francis was "a true shepherd, who especially cared for the wounded sheep."

A Legacy of Love and Courage

Sister Geneviève's act not only moved those present but also became a symbol of the essence of Francis's pontificate. An example of closeness, inclusion, and love without barriers.

Her life, dedicated to restoring dignity to the forgotten, reflects the values that the Pope defended. In a world of protocols and formalities, the Franco-Argentine nun showed that true friendship and faith need no permission to be expressed.