The Pope’s death has shone a light on the curious nature of tributes
The death of Pope Francis has been marked by an often-strange set of condolences that tread a fine line between respect and self-affirmation.
I heard about the death of Pope Francis from Larry the Cat.
Bleary-eyed, I stared at my Google phone screen and wondered if I should put on my Specsavers glasses. “May he rest in peace after a lifetime of service x,” posted Larry on Bluesky above a link to The New York Times’ announcement that “Francis, the First Latin American Pope, Dies at 88.”
I was shocked, but not by the death of Francis, who had been unwell for a long time and whose passing on Monday felt appropriately respectful of the Christian calendar. Only after my head cleared and I fully woke up did I begin to think of JD Vance, who’d appeared to bully his way into the Vatican on Sunday, after being forced to speak with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, the day before.
No, in that first moment, I was shocked that Larry the Cat had made a statement. Like he was… Well, you know. Like he was actually the Downing Street Cat.
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