NAIROBI – African leaders praised the “legacy of compassion” and “commitment to inclusivity” of Pope Francis as they joined global mourning over his death on Monday. 

Pope Francis, an energetic reformer who inspired widespread devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists, died aged 88. The chairman of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, praised “the pope’s courageous engagement with the African continent, amplifying the voices of the voiceless, championing peace and reconciliation, and standing in solidarity with those affected by conflict and poverty”. 

Pope Francis, whose real name was Jorge Bergoglio, was leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013. The Argentine pontiff was the first Jesuit to lead the world’s almost 1.4 billion Catholics and the first from the Americas. Kenya’s president William Ruto said his death was “a big loss to the Catholic faithful and the Christian world”. “He exemplified servant leadership through his humility, his unwavering commitment to inclusivity and justice, and his deep compassion for the poor and the vulnerable,” Ruto wrote on X. Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed sent his “deepest condolences ”. “May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his legacy of compassion, humility, and service to humanity continue to inspire generations to come,” Abiy wrote on X. Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the pope’s passing was “a profound loss for the entire world, as as he was a voice of peace, love and compassion.” He “worked tirelessly to promote tolerance and build bridges of dialogue … and was a champion of the Palestinian cause, defending legitimate rights and calling for an end to conflict,” said Sisi. Francis’s death came just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance on the balcony at Saint Peter’s Basilica. “Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel. Francis spent 38 days being treated for double pneumonia at Rome’s Gemelli hospital before seeming to recover and leaving the facility on 23 March. His death sets in motion centuries-old traditions that will culminate in the gathering of a conclave of cardinals to choose his successor. He took over after Benedict XVI became the first pontiff since the Middle Ages to step down – and cut a sharply different figure from the German theologian. 

– Nampa/AFP