Geneviève Jeanninggros It has been the protagonist this Wednesday. Is a French nun 81 years old, she was a friend of Pope Francis, who nicknamed her with love The terrible enfant. The religious belongs to the Jesus’ little sisters. Sor Geneviève He has broken the protocol by not waiting for his turn after the Vatican cardinals, bishops and personnel, who must be the first to say goodbye to the Pope in the Basilica of San Pedro. As can be seen in the image, Geneviève Jeanningros has been in front of the coffin to say goodbye to the Holy Father.
In the Basilica of San Pedro, between Cardinals of Scarlet Red and Bishops with golden mitras, a simple figure, dressed in blue habit, broke the protocol with the naturalness of those who act for love and not by mandate. Geneviève Jeanninggros, a 81 -year -old French nun, advanced to the established order and stood in front of Francisco’s coffin. He did not wait for his turn, he did not ask permission. He said goodbye to his friend as do those who really love each other: face to face, without barriers.
The gesture was brief, but powerful. She, known by many as the circus nun, was a friend of the Pope. He called The terrible enfant. He met her for the memory of her aunt, Léonie Duquet, also a nun, kidnapped and killed during the last Argentine dictatorship.
When Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope, Geneviève wrote him, and he replied. Since then, the relationship was growing. She went to the general audiences every Wednesday, accompanied by Father Andrea Needchia, the pastor of Torvaianica who opened the doors of her church to trans people. “Keep going, keep going,” Francisco told them, as the one who blesses the path of those who walk along the margins.
Geneviève Jeanningros in front of the Pope.Geneviève lives in a caravan, in an amusement park in Ostia, on the outskirts of Rome. From there, he preaches among juggers, prostitutes and homeless. He has been doing it for 56 years. Twice was the Pope to visit her: In 2015 and 2024. It was he who met him, as he did so many times with the forgotten.
Who accompanied her to her meetings with Francisco were moved. «They suffered in their identity and in the contempt of the people. And I was excited to see his joy, ”he said once. “They want it very much because it is the first time that trans and gay people are welcomed by a Pope.”
The day of the farewell, Geneviève did not think about forms or the protocol. He placed himself in front of the coffin, looked at him in silence and thanked him.
The religious is the niece of Léonie Duquet, a French nun who was kidnapped and killed in Argentina in 1977 with another nun, Alice Domon, during the Argentine dictatorship.
Lèonie Duquet, the aunt of Genevieve, was one of the two French nuns- together with Alice Dumon- who lived in Argentina during the last military dictatorship, who helped the mothers of Plaza de May which was known as the “death squads.” Drugized, they were thrown from an airplane to the Argentine Sea. Duket was a friend of Jorge Bergoglio, then General of the Jesuits in the country, who helped escape or hide some dissidents.
