(ZENIT News / Rome, 04.20,.2026) – Salvatore Cernuzio has published «Father,» a book in which he reveals Pope Francis’s last words and recounts intimate moments of his pontificate with previously unpublished anecdotes.
Cernuzio is a journalist and works for Vatican media. He begins his narrative thus: «This book was born as an act of gratitude toward a man, a Pope, who changed everyone’s lives and touched the hearts of many.» He also reveals a bond between the author and the Pope, describing their relationship as that of father and son. The journalist delivered a letter to the Pope during a papal flight and received an unexpected call: «Good evening, this is Pope Francis.» What followed was a dialogue spanning several years, with meetings at Casa Santa Marta, confidences, laughter, jokes, and profound reflections on faith, family, suffering, and the Church.
The book was published by Piemme in April 2026, the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s death. It has 144 pages, and brings together testimonies about dialogues, celebrations, and decisions that marked the final months of the papacy, including the final scene, written in an intimate tone.
Pope Francis’s last gesture was a simple and silent scene, a detail not revealed until now out of respect. According to Salvatore Cernuzio, the Pontiff asked for a glass of water and addressed the nurse who was attending him seconds before he died: «Thank you, please excuse the inconvenience.»
The gesture encapsulates the Pope’s personality: approachable, humble, and attentive to those around him. The author considers it a synthesis of his way of living the priestly ministry with direct, informal contact.
Cernuzio’s book presents the Pope as a simple, generous, and astute man, who could not resist an ice cream and spoke to the writer with emotion, genuine feelings, and prophetic intuitions. His spontaneity connected him with everyone, reducing the distance between believers and non-believers through the art of dialogue and courage.
The episode was not immediately publicized to respect the intimacy of the moment. The gesture enlarges the portrait of the Pope’s humanity, beyond his official duties. The author sees the scene as an expression of the Pontiff’s simplicity, approachability, and gratitude.
Publicaciones relacionadas:
‘God Gives Us His Word So We Receive It as a Love Letter Addressed to Us Personally,’ Says Pope on 1st Sunday of the Word of God
Three nuns receive English recognition for their fight against human trafficking
Verbites: 150 years at the service of the world
Pope Francis’ nephew to attend funeral thanks to anonymous benefactor who paid for his trip
