Pope leads moment of prayer for Edwin, a homeless man who died near St. Peter’s

"Let us think of what this man, 46 years old, felt, in the cold, ignored by everyone, abandoned, even by us. Let us pray for him."

After praying the midday Angelus on Sunday, January 24, Pope Francis prayed for a homeless man named Edwin who died last week near St. Peter’s Square because of the cold.

The pope said:

This past 20 January, a few metres from Saint Peter’s Square, a homeless 46-year-old Nigerian man named Edwin was found dead due to the cold. His incident is added to that of so many other homeless people who have recently died in Rome in the same tragic circumstances. Let us pray for Edwin. Let us be admonished by what was said by Saint Gregory the Great, who before the death of a mendicant due to the cold, stated that that day Mass would not be celebrated because it was like Good Friday. Let us think of Edwin. Let us think of what this man, 46 years old, felt, in the cold, ignored by everyone, abandoned, even by us. Let us pray for him.

The Holy Father has done a lot to help the homeless who congregate near St. Peter’s, from setting up showers that they can use, to providing barber services, and periodic health clinics.

Last week, some 25 older homeless people who are assisted by Vatican shelters received the first dose of the Covid vaccine.