Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88 after a long illness, the Vatican said on April 21.
"It is with great sadness that I must announce the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis," Cardinal Kevin Farrell said on Vatican television. "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father."
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentine, was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, and was known for his tireless advocacy of interreligious dialogue and peace , and his advocacy of the poor, the marginalized, and migrants. The Pope died just one day after Easter, when he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.
According to the announcement of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Pope's memorial mass will be held on April 22 at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
On April 21, the bells at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (France) rang 88 times in memory of Pope Francis.
"The 88 bells symbolize the 88 years of (the Pope's) life," said the Notre Dame press office.
On the same day, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said the iconic Eiffel Tower lights will be turned off on the night of April 21 in memory of Pope Francis. City Hall is planning to name a location in the French capital after Pope Francis, who she said advocated "welcoming refugees."
On the same day, President of the European Commission (EC), Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, sent condolences on the passing of Pope Francis.
On social media platform X, Ms von der Leyen wrote: "I offer my deepest condolences to all who feel this great loss, hoping that the Pope's legacy will continue to guide us all towards a more just, peaceful and compassionate world ."
The EU chief also praised the Pope's "humility and pure love for the less fortunate."
From the United States, Vice President JD Vance expressed his thoughts to the millions of Christians around the world who love the Pope.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron praised Pope Francis as a humble man who stands on the side of the most vulnerable and vulnerable.
Future German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Pope Francis would be remembered for his tireless dedication to society's most vulnerable groups.
The Swiss President has praised Pope Francis as a great spiritual leader, a tireless advocate for peace and whose legacy will live on.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said Pope Francis was “a man of the people in every way,” who recognized the pressing issues of our time and called attention to them. He paid tribute to the Pope with deep respect, saying he was a role model for many people — Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed her condolences to Pope Francis.
Speaking on RAI television, Ms Meloni said the Pope's departure after Easter showed he "wanted to fulfill his duties until the very end."
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Pope Francis is “a great apostle of mercy” in whom he sees the answer to the challenges of the modern world.
From Russia, the Kremlin issued a statement, assessing that during his papacy, Pope Francis actively promoted dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, as well as constructive interaction between Russia and the Vatican. Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed his condolences.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the passing of Pope Francis "is a profound loss for the whole world, as he was a voice of peace, love and compassion."
He was a man who "worked tirelessly to promote tolerance and build bridges of dialogue ... and who championed the Palestinian cause, defending legitimate rights and calling for an end to the conflict."
In a message of condolences to the Christian world and communities in the Holy Land, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Pope Francis was a man of deep faith, peace and compassion, who cultivated relationships with the Jewish world.
President Herzog stressed: "A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he devoted his life to lifting up the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world. I sincerely hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages (in Gaza) will soon be answered."
For his part, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas paid tribute to Pope Francis, calling him "a friend of the Palestinian people."
"Today we have lost a loyal friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights," Abbas was quoted as saying by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Pope Francis "recognized the state of Palestine and authorized the raising of the Palestinian flag at the Vatican."
In Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun paid tribute to a "close friend and strong supporter" of the crisis-hit multi-religious nation.
On his social media account X, Mr. Aoun said: "We will never forget his constant calls to protect Lebanon and preserve its identity and diversity… The passing of Pope Francis is a loss for all humanity, because he was a strong voice for justice and peace, who called for "dialogue between religions and cultures."
On the same day, Iran sent condolences to the Vatican. Speaking at a press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said at a press conference "My colleagues have just informed me of this news... I would like to express my condolences to all Christians around the world."
Iran, a Muslim-majority country, maintains close ties with the Vatican.
For his part, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed deep sorrow at the passing of Pope Francis, "a beacon of compassion," who inspired millions with his humility and pure love for the less fortunate.
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/the-gioi-bay-to-tiec-thuong-duc-giao-hoang-francis-250139.html
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