Pope Francis died: Kickl mourns the loss of mankind's bridge builder

Pope Francis died: Kickl mourns the loss of mankind's bridge builder

Rom, Italien - On April 21, 2025, the death of Pope Francis was announced. The Holy Father died on the morning of Easter Monday at the age of 88, as cardinal treasurer Kevin Farrell said. His death triggered grief worldwide, and prominent personalities, including Herbert Kickl, the Federal Party chairman of the FPÖ, expressed deep regret and paid tribute to the Pontifex.

Kickl characterized Francis as an outstanding moral authority and spoke of his enormous commitment to social justice, peace and interreligious dialogue. He emphasized that Francis acted as a voice of reason in times of crisis and always called on humanity and cooperation. The Pope was considered a bridge builder between humans, religions and cultures, whose legacy will live on in the hearts of the believers. Kickl also expressed his sympathy with the Catholics worldwide.

reactions from the church

The German Bishops' Conference also reacted with great grief to the loss of Pope Francis. Bishop Georg Bätzing recognized him as a visionary shepherd and courageous renewer of the church. Francis, the first Jesuit and the first Latin American Pope, campaigned for the concerns of the poor and delimited from the beginning of his pontificate. He promoted a more open and merciful church, including important encyclics such as "Evangelii Gaudium", "Laudato si’ "and" Fratelli Tutti ".

Bätzing emphasized that Francis presented a lively faith and also addressed church -critical voices with his unconventional nature. The Pope's death marks the end of his pontificate, which is considered the turning point in the history of the Catholic Church. The positive response of its impulses for peace, climate protection and social justice is perceived by many.

interreligious dialogue and social engagement

In the context of Francis' efforts to interreligious dialogue, a conference at the Pontifical University of Antonianum in Rome, which was organized by the Kaiciid dialog forum, recently took place. This conference emphasized the cooperation of religions to promote social cohesion and climate justice. Participants such as Cardinal George Koovakad and Ambassador António de Almeida-Ribiro emphasized the importance of dialogue between religious and secular institutions.

KAICIID, which was founded in 2012, aims to prevent religion's abuse to promote violence and persecution. Especially in times of crisis, the role of the church, as emphasized by Lutheran representatives, plays a crucial role in protecting social cohesion.

The reactions to the death of Pope Francis not only illustrate his human dimension, but also the far -reaching effects of his pontificate on the global religious landscape.

For many, he remains a symbol of change and hope - an inspiration that will improve in the future.

Vatican News has documented the reactions of the German Bishops' Conference ...
Vatican News describes the conference on interreligious dialogue ...