President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. on Monday shared a heartfelt tribute to Pope Francis following the pontiff’s death, as the Philippines joins the global Catholic community in mourning the loss of a beloved spiritual leader.
In a statement released through his official Facebook page, President Marcos honored Pope Francis as “a man of profound faith and humility,” who led the Catholic Church “not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten.”
“It is a profoundly sad day,” the president wrote. “Pope Francis taught us, by example, that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another. His humility brought many back to the fold of the Church.”
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Monday. He was 88.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, he became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first non-European pontiff in over 1,200 years when he was elected to the papacy in 2013.
“As we mourn his passing, we honor a life that brought hope and compassion to so many,” President Marcos said. “He inspired us to love one another as Christ loved us.”
In one of his private meetings in Malacañang earlier, President Marcos called Pope Francis ‘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 after hearing the passing of Pope Francis.
The Philippines, home to one of the largest Catholic populations in the world, had a deep spiritual connection with Pope Francis, who visited the country in 2015.
His visit, held in the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), was marked by emotional encounters with survivors and large gatherings of the faithful.