Navarrosa, who is currently writing his thesis on the pope’s 2016 encyclical 'Amoris Laetitia,' recalls meeting Francis in 2021 and says he had hoped to meet him again. “I’m not worried about the future of the church, because it is guided by the Holy Spirit,” he says.

Pope Francis' funeral will be held on Saturday in St. Peter's Square, setting the stage for a solemn ceremony that will draw leaders from around the world.

The funeral is expected to draw tens of thousands of Catholic faithful, as well as world leaders including President Trump.