'Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis' celebrated at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- Pope Francis' funeral is set to be held Saturday, but on Tuesday the pope was remembered at a special Mass led by Timothy Cardinal Dolan.
On a splendid spring day, St. Patrick's Cathedral was filled with prayer during a special Mass to remember Pope Francis.
In the pews were members of various faiths and dignitaries for the "Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis."
The cardinal's homily was brief, because that's the way the pope would have liked it.
Pope Francis traveled to NYC in 2015.
It was a visit that drew millions to Central Park where people hoped to catch a glimpse of him. He also celebrated Mass at Madison Square Garden.
The pope spoke about helping immigrants and the less fortunate, he also allowed blessings for same sex couples, ideas that resonate with a lot of New Yorkers and the faithful.
That trip was 10 years ago, but still fresh in the cardinal's mind.
"He was amazed at the size of New York and he would say to me, 'well, what are all these buildings?'" Cardinal Dolan said. "And I said, 'the homes where the people live, Holy Father.' And then he would look out at the ecstatic crowds along the road and he said, 'but they all come to see me, they love me,' like he was surprised and I was so happy with that."
Mayor Eric Adams spoke Tuesday morning about meeting the pope and attended the Mass at St. Patrick's.
"Our heart goes out to those who are impacted, and I was truly impacted from meeting him. You know, God works in mysterious ways. That opportunity to have met him, to be in the Vatican, to see some of the history of what the Vatican means," Adams said. "It was just a great loss."
Many people stopped into St. Patrick's Cathedral to light a candle and say a prayer.
Cardinal Dolan is headed to Rome Tuesday night. He will be there for the funeral and for the conclave that follows days later.
ALSO READ: Eyewitness News looks back on life and legacy of Pope Francis | Live updates
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
