MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio mourned the passing of Pope Francis due to stroke and irreversible heart failure.
In a statement on Monday evening, the Chief Executive expressed deep sorrow at the death of Pope Francis as he acknowledged the latter as the “best Pope” in his lifetime.
“Ibang klase si Pope Francis. That’s really sad. I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime as far as I’m concerned,” President Marcos said. “He is a man of profound faith and humility.”
“Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” he added. “By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another.”
“As we mourn his passing, we honor a life that brought hope and compassion to so many and inspired us to love one another as Christ loved us. It is a profoundly sad day,” Marcos further said.
Duterte-Carpio, in a video message on Tuesday, expressed hope that the Catholic community will continue to live with the aspirations left by Pope Francis even after his death.
“We pray as we mourn the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis, the shepherd who taught us to be compassionate, forgiving, and merciful in a world poisoned by social inequities, hate, greed, and wars,” the Vice President said.
“May we find strength and continue to live with the aspirations left by His Holiness as a man with the mission to bring the Gospel to the faithful, especially the poor, the sick, and the dying,” she added.
Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was elected Supreme Pontiff on March 13, 2013. He became the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the said position.
Pope Francis, fondly called Lolo Kiko by Filipinos, visited the Philippines in 2015 and celebrated Mass at the Manila Cathedral and in the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas.
The 88-year-old pope recently suffered from double pneumonia, which caused him to be hospitalized for weeks./PN
