The Argentines lament the death of their fellow Pope Francis, who served as the archbishop of Buenos Aires and was known for working with the city’s poor before rising to the pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Argentine government has announced seven days of mourning for Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
“As Argentinians, we are orphans,” street sweeper Javier Landienari told AFP news agency early Monday outside the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires. “He endured as much as he could.”
Born to Italian parents in 1936, Francis became the first Latin American pope in 2013 after the resignation of his predecessor, Pope Benedict.
When he navigated the church through the debate, Francis emphasized his compassion for the underprivileged.
“The Pope of the Pope has left us.
“He insisted on building a bridge and that we live in universal brotherhood. The Pope was our father, our father of the poor, our father of mercy.
Argentine President Javier Merei – who previously clashed with Francis and called him “a representative of evil on earth” – paid tribute to the late Pope.
“It was a real honor to me to be able to know him with his goodness and wisdom despite the differences that seemed minor today,” Mairay wrote in X.
“I have said goodbye to the Holy Father and today I am working with all of us on this sad news.”
Merei’s right-wing liberalism was at odds with Francis’s message of empathy and acceptance of the causes of social justice.
Still, after winning the election in 2023, Francis called Merei to call him, and the Argentine president visited the Pope last year, celebrating what he described as a “positive relationship.”
On Monday, former Argentine President Mauricio Macri called the Pope a “unparalleled height” religious figure.
“His life was characterized by the teachings he gave through his words, his commitment and his actions,” Macri wrote in a social media post. “He himself is a lesson for everyone throughout his career.”
A report from Buenos Aires, Teresa Beau of Al Jazeera pointed out that many were unhappy that Francis had never visited Argentina during the Pope, despite visiting other countries on the continent.
“He never reached Argentina. For many, there was a political message. He didn’t want to be used politically,” she said.
Beau said that while he takes pride in Francis when the Argentines were first elected to the Pope, the embrace of progressive causes, such as allowing priests to celebrate same-sex couples, made him a “polarizing” person, and angered the church’s traditionalists.
“Though the most progressive people in this country liked the message that injustice, inequality, capitalism, and in particular many others didn’t like it,” Beau said.
Anyway, Bo added, adding that his death will be felt across the country.
“For a lot of people I spoke to, he was the man who tried to open a church and talked about inclusion and humility, which is something that many people in this country remember,” she said.
Nicolas Cordoba, a resident of Buenos Aires, told Reuters that the Pope’s death “leaves a mark of pain in people’s hearts.”
In politically divided Argentina, some recalled the late Pope’s call for the nation to come together.
“Francis’ message has been to ensure that we are always united and reach out to those in the most needy,” Agustin Hartridge, a 41-year-old lawyer, told AFP.
“The candle I lit up is a homage to everyone he taught me.”
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