Speaker Mourns Pope Francis, Says Catholic Pontiff Championed Global Peace, Unity
By Tom Okpe
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Tajudeen Abbas, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis, at the age of 88, describing him as a towering spiritual leader and a tireless advocate for global peace, compassion, and human dignity.
In a condolence message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Abdullahi Musa Krishi on Monday, Speaker Abbas extended heartfelt sympathies to the Catholic Church, the global Christian Community, and the Holy See.
He stated that Pope Francis devoted his life to the service of God and humanity, using his papacy to bridge divides, uplift the poor, and call the world to a higher moral consciousness.
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“He was not just a religious leader, but a beacon of hope and a global statesman, who stood for peace, unity, and the common good.”
The Speaker also noted that even in his final public appearance during the Easter Mass at the Vatican, the Pope continued his impassioned call for an end to conflicts across the globe, a defining feature of his pontificate.
“From war-torn regions to forgotten corners of the world, Pope Francis never ceased to raise his voice for justice, mercy, and reconciliation.”
Citing tributes on EWTN and other major Catholic platforms, Speaker Abbas acknowledged Pope Francis’s enduring legacies: his unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalised, his call for ecological responsibility, through Laudato Si’, and his emphasis on mercy, inclusion, and the need for a Church that heals.
“He changed the tone of the papacy, making it more pastoral, more human, more accessible.
“I join Christians, particularly the Catholic faithful across the world, to mourn the passing of this extraordinary leader, a unifier, and a peacemaker, who used his God-given gift of leadership to inspire faith, hope, and love.
“Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has made transformative contributions to the Church and Christendom at large. He led an exemplary life marked by humility, simplicity, and an unwavering dedication to God and the welfare of humanity.
“As we grieve the loss of this holy man, we remember his courageous voice, his tireless prayers for peace, his outreach to the world’s most vulnerable, and the moral clarity he brought to our troubled times. May his legacy continue to inspire leaders, religious and political alike, to pursue justice, compassion, and the common good.”
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969 and elevated to the papacy on March 13, 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the first such resignation in six centuries.
