Homeless man buried in Vatican City

German Cemetery Flickr Susieredshoes

Willy Herteleer, a homeless man who was a familiar face around the Vatican, has been buried in the old German Cemetery within Vatican City State. He was around 80 years old. He died on December 12 last year. Willy, who is thought to have been Belgian, attended daily Mass in Sant'Anna parish in the Vatican and spent his days and nights on the streets around St Peter's Square, Borgo Pio and Via di Porta Angelica.

The pastor of Sant'Anna in the Vatican, Father Bruno Silvestrini, dedicated the Nativity Scene at Christmas to Willy, adding a homeless man among the shepherds.

Fr Bruno told Vatican Radio: "For over 25 years he attended the 7am Mass. He was very, very open and had made many friends. He spoke a lot with young people, he spoke to them of the Lord, he spoke of the Pope, he would invite them to the celebration of the Eucharist. He was a rich person, of great faith."

Fr Bruno said: "there were prelates who brought him food on certain days. Then, we no longer saw him, and subsequently we heard about his death. I've never seen so many people knocking on my door to ask when the funeral was, how they could help to keep his memory alive ... He never asked for anything, rather he was the one who would strike up a conversation and through his questions of faith, suggest a spiritual path to those with whom he spoke".

Willy died in Holy Spirit Hospital, where he had been brought by ambulance on a cold December evening. The cold had caused him to collapse and some passers-called for the emergency services. He died on December 12, but his body remained at the hospital morgue because no one could identify him.

When those used to seeing him on the streets noticed his absence and began to search for him he was finally traced to the hospital in Lungotevere in Sassia on the banks of the Tiber.

The costs of his funeral were covered by a German-speaking family, the funeral was held in the chapel of the Teutonic Cemetery on 9 January and Willy was buried in the old German cemetery. The cemetery is normally reserved for German-speaking clergy and members of German religious foundations in Rome, and its proximity to St Peter's means that burial plots are highly prized.

The unusual request came from Amerigo Ciani, a monsignor, who had befriended the homeless man during church services and told the Pope about his death. "Holy Father, we don't know where to bury him", Monsignor Ciani said. "Give him a dignified burial in the Vatican", the pontiff replied, according to Il Messagero, the Italian newspaper that first reported the story.

This year Vatican City has introduced more facilities for homeless people. In St Peter's Square under the pillars, there are showers and other basic services available.

Source: Vatican Radio/Il Messagero