Pope Francis' passion for prayer inspired many others
In tributes, mourners share memories of Pope Francis' personal prayers for newlyweds, politicians and others
Personal stories emerging this week in the wake of the many tributes to Pope Francis reflect the impact of individual prayers and blessings the pontiff shared around the world, whether he was talking with starry eyed newlyweds or beleaguered world leaders.
The pope was known for asking others to pray for him and people turned out in droves to do so both while he was ill earlier this year and after his death. Thousands gathered this week to pray in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. Others gathered at Notre Dame in Paris. Services were scheduled in Catholic churches around the globe.
His special emphasis on prayer is evident from his first address at St. Peter's Basilica to his final Easter Sunday message, say Catholic scholars and followers who personally talked with him.
"Prayer was a fundamental component of Pope Francis’ service to the church and the world," said Bruce Morrill, a distinguished professor of theology and Roman Catholic studies at Vanderbilt University and a Roman Catholic priest.
"Let us always pray for one another," the pope entreated the gathered crowd after his election to the papacy on March 13, 2013. “Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity."
His Easter Sunday message on April 20, 2025, the day before he died, asked for prayers for Christians in areas of conflict and crisis, including Lebanon, Syria, Armenia, Myanmar and several countries in Africa.
As it does with all bishops, Morrill said the prayers of Pope Francis took the form of the official rites of the church, as well as his personal devotions.
"The late pope prayed before the icon of the Blessed Mother and Child in the ancient Roman basilica of St. Mary Major over 200 times over the dozen years of his papacy, before and after his many trips abroad," Morrill said. That included a visit just after his recent release from the hospital, and following his last wishes, St. Mary Major will be his final resting place.
Life-changing prayer
“Speaker, will you pray for me? With those words, Pope Francis changed my life,” wrote John Boehner, former speaker of the U.S. House and a lifelong Catholic, in a tribute on X. Boehner has previously explained that the visit with the Pope helped confirm his decision to step down after 24 years in Congress.
The Ohio Republican said in the X post that the pope would “forever hold a place in America's history as the first Pope to address a joint meeting of the US Congress, and in hearts across the world for his compassionate stewardship of the Church.”
After that 2015 address, Pope Francis stepped out onto the Speaker's balcony to address and bless a crowd cheering “papa, papa.”
Prayer "grounds a person through memories and profound feelings that strengthen faith, instill hope and deepen love," and gives a sense that one is not “going it alone” even when it may feel that way, Morrill said. In prayer, people may not only feel united to God, but also to others in a fellowship of faith, hope and love.
Ohio resident Tyler Duvelius shared on X a memorable encounter he and his wife, Katie, had with Pope Francis. While planning their honeymoon, Duvelius learned from his parish priest that a special opportunity was available to newlyweds to be greeted by the pope following a general audience at the Vatican.
"As a lifelong practicing Catholic, it seemed too good to be true, but lo and behold, two seats were reserved for us on Saint Peter’s Square," Duvelius said. The moment was quick, but unforgettable when the pope smiled and stuck out his hand.
"Please pray for us as we begin our marriage," Duvelius recalled saying. Then, as the pope was being wheeled past, he stopped and looked back at the couple. "He said, in English, 'You please pray for me.' We were dumbfounded."
"What a humbling feeling it was to have the leader of the Roman Catholic Church ask you to pray for him," Duvelius wrote in an op-ed that appeared in the Columbus Dispatch on April 22.
"While it shocked us in the moment, perhaps it should not have," he wrote. "Pope Francis lived a life rooted in humility."
"It was very impactful," Duvelius said. "I think what Pope Francis really demonstrated was that you should have that personal relationship with God."
A humorous admission
It was perhaps surprising to some when the Pope admitted during a 2017 interview that he had fallen asleep during prayer, offering reassurance to the faithful who have also fallen asleep while trying to squeeze in a prayer before bedtime.
“When I go to pray, sometimes I fall asleep,” said the Pope, in a video shared by the Catholic News Agency. He suggested God likes it when people fall asleep while praying, saying it could be “standing before God as a child in the arms of his father.”
Duvelius loves the story. "We should be comfortable resting in our father's arms," he said. "How beautiful is that to think about?"
A prayer for wise use of technology
Each year Pope Francis shared monthly prayer themes. His prayer for April 2025 was particularly pointed for the modern world: “Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person, and will help us face the crises of our times.”
Within moments of the announcement of his death, social media channels around the globe flooded with posts, tributes and prayers. U.S. politicians, world leaders and others offered memories of the pope’s prayers with them and his words to others about the importance of prayer.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referenced prayer and the Pope’s prayers for the people of Ukraine. “He knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity,” Zelenskyy posted on X.
In the tiny European country of Monaco, a Catholic state, the embassy posted on X that the country was uniting with the church and “the faithful around the world in prayer and remembrance of his message of love, fraternity, peace, faith, justice, mercy, compassion, and care for the planet, our common home.”
Prayers for the pope
Upon his death, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops published a novena – nine days of readings and prayer – in the Pope's memory for the nine-day mourning period.
The first day’s prayer includes this sentence: “O God, faithful rewarder of souls, grant that your departed servant Pope Francis, whom you made successor of Peter and shepherd of your Church, may happily enjoy forever in your presence in heaven the mysteries of your grace and compassion, which he faithfully ministered on earth."
Dinah Voyles Pulver is a national correspondent for Paste BN. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.