A montage of Dubai residents' Roger Yu (right, wearing sunglasses) and Shirla Matarlo's visit to the Vatican. ARCHIVE

Catholics in Dubai are joining the global Catholic community in mourning the death of Pope Francis, who died at age 88 on April 21 at his residence in Vatican City. The pontiff’s body was transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday (April 23), where the faithful are invited to pay their final respects ahead of his funeral on Saturday (April 26). Shirla Matarlo, a Dubai resident, shared her deeply emotional encounter with the Pope during her visit to Vatican City last year. “Seeing Pope Francis in person was an unforgettable experience. It was an unexplainable, tearful experience, a moment that touched both my husband and me deeply,” she told Expat Media. “We felt incredibly fortunate to see the Pope up close. Although we attended the Papal Mass in Abu Dhabi in 2019, this experience was different. Receiving a blessing from His Holiness filled us with optimism. He has taught us the values of humility, love for the poor, and acceptance,” she added. Former Dubai expat Roger Yu, now based in Los Angeles, is flying to the Vatican to see the Pope “one last time.” “One of the most unforgettable moments was when I handed him my white zucchetto. He took it, wore it for a few seconds, and handed it back to me. I still have it to this day,” Yu told Expat Media, referring to the cleric's skullcap. “He is truly my favourite pope. So humble, compassionate and deeply connected to the marginalized, the poor, the LGBTQ+ community.”

“His actions like washing the feet of prisoners and Muslims, embracing the disabled, defending the poor, meeting with LGBTQ+ individuals or welcoming refugees are powerful reminders of how Jesus lived. The Gospel is not about building walls, it is about breaking them down and Pope Francis lived that,” he said.

Pope Francis made history in 2019 when he visited the UAE—the first pontiff to visit the Arabian Peninsula. His public mass in Abu Dhabi was attended by more than 135,000 people and marked a milestone in interfaith dialogue through the signing of the “Document on Human Fraternity” with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar. Corina Remedios, a Dubai resident, was one of those who attended the historic mass in Abu Dhabi, telling Expat Media she had to stand in line for hours just to get tickets to the papal mass. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she told Expat Media. Divina Martinez, another Dubai resident, told Expat Media that seeing Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi was a blessing. Her first time to see Pope Francis was during his visit to the Philippines in 2015. “It’s a big thing specially since this is a Muslim country and this is the first time they allowed us Catholics to have this event here,” Martinez said. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first Jesuit, first from the Americas, and first non-European pope in over 1,200 years. His papacy was marked by compassion, reform, and advocacy for the poor, environment, and marginalized communities. The funeral will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re and concelebrated by Catholic leaders worldwide. The Mass will conclude with the Ultima commendatio and Valedictio, followed by nine days of mourning. The Pope’s remains will be entombed in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. As the Church enters the sede vacante period, 138 cardinal-electors are expected to gather in the Sistine Chapel in the coming weeks to choose the next pope in a secretive conclave process. ICA/CAM/Expat Media ALSO READ: UAE leaders pay tribute to Pope Francis
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