Victor EzejaThe Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has bid farewell to the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, who died early Monday morning.
The 88-year-old Pontiff, who made appearances in some of the events during the Holy Week at the Vatican despite his failing health, spent 12 years on the Papacy.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelCBCN President, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, said Pope Francis “served the Church with humility, courage, and a deep love for the poor and the excluded.”
In a statement issued by Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, Secretary-General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the CBCN president noted that Francis’s pontificate was characterized by a strong emphasis on mercy, justice, and care for the creation.
He further observed that the late Pope advanced interreligious dialogue to foster peace and mutual understanding among different faiths.
“He was a tireless advocate for migrants and refugees, promoted a more synodal Church rooted in listening and shared responsibility, and called for a culture of kindness and human fraternity.
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“He also advanced interreligious dialogue, fostering peace and mutual understanding among peoples of different faiths.
The CBCN president also noted that the pope’s passing on Easter Season was not without spiritual significance, as it is a time when the Church proclaims with joy the victory of Christ over death. “His return to the Lord in this sacred season offers us a consoling reminder of the Christian hope in the resurrection and the promise of eternal life,” he added.
He urged other Bishops to organise Diocesan Eucharistic Celebrations for the repose of the soul of the Pope and called on all Catholics to pray for the same intention during the Divine Mercy devotion at 3:00 O’clock.
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Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis became the first pope from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order), the first from the Americas and the first outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian Pope Gregory III.
He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, served as the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina from 1973 to 1979. He became the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was made a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.
Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected him as his successor on 13 March. He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi. Throughout his public life, Francis was noted for his humility, emphasis on God’s mercy.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
