Archdiocese of Philadelphia holds Mass following death of Pope Francis at 88
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia held a special Mass service on Monday, April 21, after news of Pope Francis' death at the age of 88.
The Vatican announced the pope died around 7:30 a.m. local time, one day after he briefly appeared in St. Peter's Square to bless worshippers on Easter Sunday.
Archbishop Nelson Pérez, who was appointed as the 14th Bishop and 10th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Francis in 2020, was the principal celebrant during Mass on Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul.
Speaking with CBS News Philadelphia's Jim Donovan, Natasha Brown and former news anchor Pat Ciarrocchi Monday morning, Pérez recalled the times he met with Francis.
"In so many ways, he was like an uncle," Pérez said. "Just very warm, very kind, very humorous. It was just very beautiful."
Pérez had a uniquely personal bond with Francis, who called him back to his hometown to serve.
"I will forever be grateful to Pope Francis for bringing me back to Philly, my home. That was very special," he said.
The two shared private moments, even a selfie, and their relationship spanned years and continents.
"I had many encounters with him. I stayed where he lives at Domus Sanctae Marthae, once for like a week and a half," he said. "I was with him last July at meetings in Rome, always so approachable, gentle."
Pérez said he often spoke with the pope in Spanish, which is both of their first languages.
"He was really always so kind and attentive. And when he spoke to somebody, he looked at them straightly in the eye," he said. "It's a great loss for us, but a great gain for heaven."
"I think he'll be remembered as a pope of joy; a pope of hope. He declared this Year of the Jubilee, of Hope, which now happens to be the year he's going back to the Lord," Pérez said.
As the world begins nine days of mourning, Philadelphians will cherish the joy this pope inspired and the memory of his time among them.
"What a great image, right?" Pérez said. There was the pope. And certainly a superstar for the world."
Pope Francis visited Philadelphia about 10 years before his death
Francis made a historic trip to Philadelphia in September 2015 as part of the World Meeting of Families.
During that visit, the pope spoke at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, visited prisoners at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and celebrated Mass along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
"I'll never forget him going up Franklin Parkway here and reaching out to touch people and the joy that he brought to Philadelphia," Pérez said.
He also surprised students at the Catholic institution Saint Joseph's University. He met behind closed doors with victims of sexual abuse while condemning church leaders who failed to report the crimes.
It's estimated that more than a million people were in the city during the pope's two-day visit.
