A close aide revealed that Pope Francis, who passed away on the 21st of this month (local time hereinafter), last took a vacation about 70 years ago.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States of the Vatican, noted in a BBC exclusive interview released on the 25th that Pope Francis wanted to continue working until death, despite others urging him to reduce his workload in recent years. Archbishop Gallagher has accompanied the Pope on his foreign trips since taking up his role in 2014.
Archbishop Gallagher explained that the Pope's reluctance to stop working was because he knew there were opportunities to help the vulnerable. He also mentioned that it seems the Pope last took a vacation about 66 to 67 years ago.
Archbishop Gallagher reported that Pope Francis was courteous, dignified, and had remarkable empathy. He sometimes acted against the advice of those around him. For example, during his papacy, the Pope visited about 60 countries, including some that were deemed too dangerous for him to visit by those close to him.
Archbishop Gallagher mentioned the Pope's decision to visit the Central African Republic, which was discouraged by those around him, saying, "If no one wants to go, I will go alone." He remarked, "One of the things I always admired about the Pope was that he did not shy away from difficult tasks."
Pope Francis also chose the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean as the first destination outside of Rome after his inauguration in 2013. There, the Pope met and comforted refugees from the Middle East and Africa.
According to the Vatican, over 250,000 people paid their respects at St. Peter's Basilica, where Pope Francis' body lies, from the 23rd to the 25th. The Pope's funeral mass will be held on the 26th at 10 a.m. local time in the Vatican (5 p.m. Korean time).