THE head of the Catholic church in Ireland has paid tribute to the late Pope Francis claiming his ‘closeness and friendship with Christ’ is what he will remember most about him.
Armagh-based Archbishop Eamon Martin, who is the Primate of All Ireland, said the news of the Pope’s death yesterday morning, at his apartment in the Vatican, filled his heart with “both deep sadness and immense gratitude”.
“Pope Francis’ papacy has been a profound gift to the Church and World. On behalf of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, and the Catholic faithful on the island of Ireland, I extend sympathy to Pope Francis’ family members, to those who have worked most closely with him, and to all those around the globe who loved him and will mourn his loss,” he said.
He added: “There was something different about this pope who came to us twelve years ago from “the ends of the world”.
“On that very first night when he stood on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, our hearts were moved as he greeted the people with a simple ‘Buonasera’ and asked us to pray to the Lord to bless him.
“Now we pray to that same Lord to show him mercy and welcome him to his eternal reward.
“Pope Francis often expressed his personal unworthiness, insisting ‘I am a sinner’.
“He would want us to pray now for his soul as he appears before God whom he himself presented to the world as a loving and merciful God, who understands all our weaknesses and frailties, yet loves each of us deeply.”
Reflecting on what he will remember most about Pope Francis, Archbishop Martin said: “No doubt in the coming days and weeks many more memories of Pope Francis will emerge, but for me it was his closeness and friendship with Christ which stood out most of all – in his compassion for the suffering, and the way he placed the vulnerable at the centre of his ministry – the poor, refugees, victims of war, human trafficking, and all who are exploited, overlooked or excluded by Church or by society.
“He wanted to bring them in from the cold.”
Pope Francis outlined how he wishes to be buried in his last testament, which was published by the Vatican last night.
A medical report also published by the Vatican, confirmed his cause of death as “stroke, coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse”.