At the foot of Belfast City Hall’s sweeping marble staircase, Colin Flinn stopped to reflect as a book of condolence is opened for Pope Francis.
Councillors queued to sign the book at lunchtime on Wednesday, and Mr Flinn (79),from a Presbyterian background, said he felt he should do the same.
“It’s because of the tremendous person Francis was. What a great example to the world, to politicians, to everyone. And so humble. I don’t think we’ll ever see his like again,” he said.
“I’m very sad about it, very sad.”
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The retired lawyer was among the first members of the public to write a message of condolence in the book, which was placed beside a photograph of the late pontiff.
Tourists looked on as a bride passed through the ornate entrance – City Hall is a popular venue for marriage ceremonies – and a steady trickle of people gathered near the staircase.
Belfast Lord Mayor Micky Murray officially opened the book. Fr Tim Bartlett, the main organiser of the Francis’s visit to Ireland in 2018, was also in attendance.
“It’s important that we give space for Belfast citizens to come and pay their condolences,” Mr Murray said.
In his message, Fr Bartlett, parish priest at St Mary’s church in Belfast – the oldest Catholic church in the city – wrote: “Thank you for visiting our beautiful island and for being a heroic voice for the poor, the vulnerable, the hurt and our beautiful earth”.
City Hall is to be lit up in the papal colours of yellow and white on Saturday, the day of the pope’s funeral.
Ten-year-old Jack O’Flaherty, from Greenisland, Co Antrim, travelled to City Hall to meet the mayor, but wanted to sign the book.
He said he liked Francis because “he always met young people”.
“He was one of the most progressive popes and I think that’s a good thing,” Jack said.
His mother Eileen O’Flaherty pointed out that her son had been researching the pope and liked it that he was a “humble” man.
“He was a Pope for the people,” Jack said. “He didn’t stay in the apostolic palace, he stayed in the Vatican guest room.”
Mother and daughter Brona and Grace McAtee, from Fintona, Co Tyrone, came to Belfast the previous evening for a shopping trip and wanted to see City Hall before their return home.
Grace (13) said the pope was “all about young people”.
“He was very open to all, wasn’t a judgmental pope. One of his famous statements was, ‘Who am I to judge?’ What a lovely man,” Brona said.
The motion to open a book of condolences was put forward by Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor Carl Whyte.
His party colleague on Belfast City Council, Séamas de Faoite, singled out the pope’s work for those marginalised “from the church, and from their faith”.
“As an LGBT person, I warmly welcome and recognise Francis’s efforts to reach out to my community. I think it has changed the perception of the Catholic church among a lot of LGBT people,” de Faoite said.
Pensioner Mary Hamilton agreed. A police widow from Newtownards, Hamilton revealed she once wrote to a newspaper to complain about the late Rev Ian Paisley after he denounced Pope John Paul II as “an anti-Christ” in the European Parliament in 1988.
“I was so sad and annoyed when Mr Paisley did that. I’m not Catholic. I’m from the Protestant faith. I like respecting all faiths and I thought the pope was a true gentleman who respected everyone,” the 81-year-old said.
“I just wrote in the book, ‘Rest in peace, a true Christian’.”
