BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR
THE leader of the Catholic Church worldwide, Pope Francis, has died, one day after Easter.
Francis, who presided over the Catholic Church for over a decade, had suffered a number of health issues in recent years, with his health becoming increasingly frail.
The pontiff had sought to impose a progressive vision of a reformed church.
The Vatican has already confirmed the passage of the Pope, who had come close to dying twice this year while suffering from pneumonia.
According to DW, the Vartican, in a statement early on Easter Monday, April 21, on its Telegram channel, by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, said: “This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.”
The Pope died a day after making an appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, the Vatican added.
Francis will be remembered as a Pope like no other. He was the first from Latin America and was known as a controversial reformer.
His message, “I am one of you,” characterised the modesty of his pontificate.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was the son of Italian immigrants in Argentina and trained as a chemical engineer before studying Theology.
He was first ordained as a priest in 1969 and became Archbishop of Buenos Aires 30 years later.
As Pope, he supported peace negotiations in Colombia and the Central African Republic (CAR), played a role in thawing relations between Cuba and the United States (US) and prayed for peace at significant sights in the Middle East.
On US President Donald Trump, he said: “A person who only thinks about making walls again and again, and not making bridges, is not a Christian.”
Just lasy Sunday, Francis met with US President Vice President, JD Vance.
He always saw himself as an advocate for those without a voice. He visited refugee camps during the migration crisis when xenophobia reached new heights in Europe.
He welcomed migrants to the Vatican and prayed for the thousands who perished in the Mediterranean.
His tenure was not without controversy. He faced criticism for not speaking out against Argentina’s military dictatorship in the 1970s and for his handling of sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church.
But it is as a man of the people that he will be remembered. His humble nature gave him a popularity like no other pontiff before him, not just among his church followers, but around the world.
