My Take | Pope’s final message was a vital tenet for our time and for all times
Francis’ words at Easter were ones of reconciliation, compassion, inclusivity and understanding. Let us hope that they will be heeded
The spectacular funeral of Pope Francis, with 400,000 mourners in and around St Peter’s Square, provided a fitting tribute to a man who made a difference. He will not be an easy act to follow.
Among the crowds gathered to pay their respects were 50 heads of states, part of 170 foreign delegations. They should all reflect on the late pope’s legacy and, especially, his persistent calls for peace, compassion and care for the world’s most vulnerable.
The death of an 88-year-old, recently discharged from hospital, would not normally come as a shock.
But Francis, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years, had raised hopes he was recovering by appearing on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday. The pontiff even greeted cheering crowds from his Popemobile.
Sadly, this turned out to be his swansong. Francis had been determined to attend to his duties until the end, ignoring medical advice to take a break. As one archbishop put it, he preferred “to die with his boots on”.
Francis, the first pope from Latin America, was a surprise choice when elected in 2013. He took over the Catholic Church at a time of crisis, an institution disgraced by an appalling sex scandal involving abuse by members of the clergy and riven by internal divisions.