Philippine leader mourns the “best Pope” of his lifetime
MANILA. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will fly to Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. The Palace confirmed on Wednesday that Marcos will be joined by First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos for the solemn occasion.
The announcement was made by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro, who said the President was in deep sorrow over the Pontiff’s passing.
“Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” Marcos said in a statement. “By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another.”
Marcos described the late pontiff as a “man of profound faith and humility,” and referred to him as the “best Pope” in his lifetime.
For her part, the First Lady also paid tribute to Pope Francis, calling him a saint she had the honor of meeting. “Now heaven welcomes him home. Thank you, Pope Francis,” she said in a social media post, which included a photo of her audience with the Pope.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the first Jesuit and the first Latin American to become the Supreme Pontiff, having been elected on March 13, 2013. He was beloved across the world, including in the Philippines, where he was fondly called Lolo Kiko. During his 2015 visit to the country, he celebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral and the University of Santo Tomas, and braved a storm to hold an outdoor Mass in Tacloban City.
According to the Vatican, Pope Francis died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure, following a serious bout of double pneumonia. His funeral will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) in St. Peter’s Square, in front of the iconic Basilica.
In a will written in 2022, Pope Francis requested to be buried in a simple, unadorned tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, home to his favorite icon of the Madonna, Salus Populi Romani. It was there that he often prayed before and after papal journeys.
The world now prepares to bid farewell to a Pope remembered for his humility, compassion, and unwavering advocacy for the marginalized.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
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- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
