Buried at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
Monrovia, Liberia – For Catholics worldwide, Monday, April 21, 2025, was a day of grief and disbelief as they awoke to the tragic news that His Holiness, Pope Francis Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the leader of the Catholic Church worldwide, had passed away at his home in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta at around 7:35 a.m.
Many people witnessed the Argentine-born pope (Holy Father) at the Easter celebration liturgy at the Vatican on Sunday, April 20, 2025, therefore his passing was unexpected. Vatican News reports that the Pope’s death was unexpected after he battled a serious bout of double pneumonia for thirty-eight hours in the hospital.
His passing signals the end of a convoluted and sometimes tumultuous pontificate characterized by audacious reforms, internal strife, and an unwavering emphasis on the underprivileged and disenfranchised.
The late Pope Francis, who was elected in 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI resigned, will be known as a leader who questioned long-standing customs in an effort to modernize the Church and make it more accessible to the faithful worldwide.
The Catholic Pope was the first Latin American pontiff and a transformative figure in modern Catholicism. The Holy Father’s passing, according to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Liberia (CABICOL), was a “profound loss” that affected the whole Catholic community worldwide, prompting condolences and tributes from both leaders and followers.
Pope Francis was a highly significant person not just in the Vatican but also in nations all over the world, including Liberia, according to a CABICOL statement dated April 21, 2025. According to the Catholic Bishops Conference, millions of people were won over by the Holy Father’s persistent dedication to justice, peace, and the advancement of human dignity.
The Bishops recounted how, under his direction, the Catholic Church advanced a number of social justice programs, interfaith discussions, and endeavors to heal divisions in areas riven by violence. The influence of Pope Francis’ pontificate in Liberia was notably noticeable in his support for peace-building activities, CABICOL said in its release, especially in a country with a history of war of its own.
He is remembered by Liberia’s Catholic faithful for his kind outreach and support, which helped to build the nation’s resilience and feeling of hope. The Liberian Catholic Bishops Conference has asked for a time of prayer and introspection as word of his departure spreads.
Pope Francis’ casket was moved from St. Peter’s Basilica to Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, his ultimate burial place, in a magnificent procession across the city of Rome.
Reported by: Prince Saah
Contact: +231778239813
Email: saahprince119@gmail.com
