THE late Pope’s ecumenism, championing of the poor and marginalised, and his “unstinting service” to God have been remembered in messages of condolence from church leaders around the world.
Pope Francis died early on Easter Monday, aged 88.
Leading the tributes, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said: “A voice proclaiming the innate dignity of every human being, especially those who are poor or marginalised, is now silent. The legacy he leaves is one we must seek to carry forward and strengthen.
“Pope Francis was called to priesthood through his experience of the mercy and compassion of God. This remained the core of his ministry, as Priest, Bishop and Pontiff. Only in understanding the love and mercy of God towards each one of us can we fashion societies and communities that bear the mark of the ‘kingdom of God’.”
Cardinal Nichols is the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, which will celebrate requiem masses in their cathedrals for the repose of the soul of the late Pope. Prayer cards have been distributed to Roman Catholic parishes throughout the two countries.
Pope Francis was the first non-European Pope for nearly 1300 years since Gregory III, an eighth-century Syrian. An Argentinean, Francis was the first Pope from the southern hemisphere and was also the first Pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus.
Tributes and messages of condolence poured in after the announcement, shortly after 9 a.m., of his death on Easter Monday.
The King and Queen had attended a private audience with the Pope earlier this month. In a message on Monday, the King said that they were “most deeply saddened” to learn of his death and had been “greatly moved” to have visited him at the Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican.
“Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.
“His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others.
“His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.”
Anglican leaders remembered the late Pope’s ecumenism, evangelisation, and synodality, and his attention to the poor, to the plight of refugees, and to justice and compassion.
The Archbishop of York described him as “a listening Pope whose commitment to the principle and the process of synodality will be a permanent legacy to the Roman Catholic Church and to all of us”.
The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Revd Mark Strange, praised the late Pope’s “generosity and love for all of God’s Creation and his willingness to be open and approachable allowed him to get close to people, and to love and be loved by so many.
“The joy on the faces in St Peter’s Square yesterday as he gave the Easter Blessing will be something dearly held as the mourning begins for this remarkable servant of God.”
On Easter Day, Pope Francis made a brief visit to St Peter’s Basilica, a couple hours before the Easter Vigil, to greet the faithful. His homily was delivered by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re presiding on his behalf.
Bishop Strange continued: “When the Anglican Primates met in Rome last year, he spent time talking to us, listened to the questions we asked and he answered us. This positive dialogue encouraged us all and we felt able to share with him our thoughts , as he did with us. This was clearly one of his gifts that enabled such conversations to take place between many of the world’s churches.”
Representing the Anglican Centre in Rome, the Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, who attended last year’s synod of synodality (News, 18 October 2024), said: “Pope Francis exercised a primacy of service, love, and Christian witness that was open to all Christians. Strong in faith and hope, he engaged with pressing issues that face the human race, and outstandingly with the issues of war and migration, and the environment.”
Dr Warner also referred to the late Pope’s work “in bringing to life the insights of the Second Vatican Council. . . This work of renewal has included addressing the abuse of power, the inclusion of the gifts of all the baptised, and reaching out to those who feel that they are not welcome.”
He concluded: “His humour never left him, nor did compassion and a delight in the family, children, and young people.”
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, described Pope Francis as “a man of great faith, humility, and compassion, who brought to the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome the joy of the Gospel. I want to express the deep appreciation of the Anglican Communion for the remarkable leadership that Pope Francis has given to the Catholic Church and to the world at large.”
Archbishop Poggo continued: “Renewal of the Church’s structures through synodality and the voice of women and lay people within decision-making processes has been a defining mark of his Papacy — a process that has drawn on friendships across the Christian world.”
Anglicans were grateful, he said, for the late Pope’s support of the work of the Anglican Centre in Rome, and other ecumenical missions and partnerships.
The Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr Thabo Makgoba, said that the loss would be “deep and personal” for people of all faiths and of none around the world. He described Pope Francis as “the last globally recognised moral voice in our confused times”, who gave “clear guidance in a complex and polarised political world”.
His statement said that “the poor of the world will be those who will miss him the most as a champion and custodian of their hopes and dreams. He was an incredible, prophetic pastor whose vision was a ‘church of the poor for the poor’, to quote one of his favourite sayings.”
Dr Makgoba continued: “He was a master of gesture; he supported all. Although he primarily led the world’s Catholics, he also gave leadership to the whole Christian family. We will remember him for his wise counsel, posing deep theological questions, and his encyclical on care for the environment.”
Charities also paid tribute to the environmental work of Pope Francis and his commitment to building peace, particularly in Sudan. The chief executive of Christian Aid, Patrick Watt, said that the late Pope had “always championed the oppressed, marginalised and those struggling with poverty, particularly people around the world impacted by conflict, the climate crisis, and the unfair debt crisis”.
The Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS UK) said that he had “put care for refugees at the heart of his pontificate. In an increasingly hostile context across the world, he was unfalteringly at the side and on the side of people driven from their homes by violence, poverty, or persecution.”
