Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama has described the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday as the fall of a mighty Iroko.
Kaigama said it was a loss that resonated across the world.
The archbishop in an interview with newsmen in Abuja yesterday reflected on the Pope’s profound spiritual and pastoral legacy.
“He showed us the face of Jesus Christ, the face of mercy, the face of love.
“A great man, very great, in our local parlance, I will say a mighty Iroko has fallen; it shakes the whole world; the whole world is mourning,
“Christians and non-Christians and for all of us, it is the passing away of a great one; his legacies are many, uncountable.
“He traveled through the whole world, pronouncing and showing love and mercy.
“He was a very humane Pope and very attentive to the needs of the ordinary person.
“And so, he will be remembered for this; like Jesus Christ, he touched those who are sick; he identified with the prisoners, those who are dismissed by the society.
“So, he was a very humane Pope and very attentive to the needs of the ordinary person,’’ Kaigama said.
He urged Catholic faithful in Abuja and Nigeria to pray for the eternal repose of Pope Francis, emphasising the need for unity and hope as the church enters a period of transition.
The cleric also spoke on his expectations for a new Pope.
According to him, during this interregnum, the Vatican’s Camerlengo oversees daily affairs, but no major decisions are made until a new pope is elected.
Kaigama called on the faithful to intensify their prayers, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide the church through the challenging moment.
Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church and the first from Latin America, passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88 in his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta.
His death was officially announced by the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, at 9:45am, following a period of declining health after a severe bout of pneumonia.
