Across the globe, Catholics are marking Easter Monday with sorrow as they bid farewell to their spiritual leader, Pope Francis, who passed away less than 24 hours after delivering his final Easter Sunday address from St. Peter’s Square.
His death comes at a deeply symbolic time, during the most sacred season in the Christian calendar, a detail not lost on many of the faithful.
“He [God] chose the most beautiful day for the Christian Church. He couldn't have chosen a better day,” said Father Sergio Codera, a Salesian priest from Spain. “Easter is when we celebrate that death does not have the final word. And it was on this day that God chose to welcome Pope Francis.”
At the Vatican, the atmosphere is heavy with disbelief. Many had seen Pope Francis just the day before, offering blessings despite his visibly declining health.
“It was very shocking, we just saw him yesterday,” one man told the BBC in St. Peter’s Square. “He gave us a blessing during Easter.”
A woman who heard the Pope speak said, “He took his duty to the people so seriously, even when he was so unwell, he still came out for Easter Mass and spoke to us. That meant a lot.”
Church bells echoed across Manila, capital of the Philippines, home to Asia’s largest Catholic population, where worshippers gathered to pray and reflect. With about 85% of its 110 million citizens identifying as Roman Catholic, the country felt the loss deeply.
Jude Aquino, a young altar server, spoke to Reuters about the Pope’s lasting impact on the youth: “It’s a big loss for the Catholic Church. For young people like us, he was a true role model, a vicar of Christ we could look up to.”
In Bukavu, a rebel-held city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Catholics gathered at Notre-Dame de la Paix Cathedral in mourning. Half of the country’s population is Catholic, making it the largest such community in Africa.
“He loved our country, the DRC, very much,” said Sifa Albertina outside the cathedral. “Despite his health, he came to meet us, to share in our struggles. I saw him here, may God welcome his soul.”
In 2023, Pope Francis had addressed over half a million people in Kinshasa, marking the first papal visit to the conflict-stricken nation in more than 30 years. In his final address this Easter, he once again called for peace in the DRC.
In Brazil, the country with the world’s largest Catholic population, seven days of national mourning have been declared. Outside the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Rio de Janeiro, Rosane Ribeiro remembered the Pope’s compassion during the pandemic: “He was a unique and extraordinary person. Every day, he got up to pray for the world. Dying at Easter, it feels like a beautiful and fitting time for someone like him.”
Pope Francis's legacy is not without controversy. He faced criticism over the Church’s handling of sexual abuse scandals, though he was also credited for listening to victims and instituting reforms.
Juan Carlos Cruz Chellew, a survivor of abuse in Chile, recalled how the Pope was one of the few in the Church who truly heard him. “He became like a real father to me,” he told the BBC’s Newshour. “He admitted his mistake, invited me to stay at his residence in Santa Marta, and from there began to change the Church’s attitude toward abuse. It was incredible to feel listened to.”
In Boston, often referred to as America’s most Catholic city, mourners gathered at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Among them were Mary, 70, and Tom, 71, visiting from Chicago.
“He was such a wonderful man,” Mary said. “So human, so approachable, you felt like you could be friends with him.”
Back in Spain, where more than half the population is Catholic, the government has declared three days of national mourning.
Nuria Ortega, a civil servant in Madrid, reflected on the Pope’s broad appeal: “I think he was accepted by all Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He was always open to dialogue.”
As the Church begins the search for Pope Francis’s successor, there’s a sense of both mourning and anticipation. Javier Herratia, a student, expressed hope for the future: “The Church needs to be more humble and connect with young people. We trust in the Holy Spirit, and we hope the next Pope is just as good.”
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