The interim head of the Church of England, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has paid tribute to Pope Francis as a “holy man of God” after his death on Easter Monday on the age of 88.
In a press release, the Archbishop praised the Pope as someone with “deep compassion” who was committed to service and supporting those on the margins.
On a private level, he was “witty, full of life, good to be with, and the heat of his personality and interest in others shone out from him”, the Archbishop said.
He recalled a gathering with the Pope in 2023 where the latter had shared his ecumenical vision with the words “Let us walk together, work together, pray together”.
“They sum up his vision for the church, each the Roman Catholic Church but in addition ecumenically,” said Cottrell.
“Francis’s whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus who comes amongst us to not be served, but to serve.
“We saw that compellingly in Francis’s service of the poor, his love of neighbour especially the displaced, migrant, the asylum seeker, his deep compassion for the well-being of the earth and his desire to steer and construct the church in recent ways.
“Francis showed us the best way to follow Jesus and encouraged us to go and do likewise.”
He went on to recollect the Pope as someone whose words were “supported by his deeds and actions.
“In their humility and concentrate on those within the margins, those actions, his whole life, was immediately recognisable as those of 1 who followed Jesus,” he said.
Pope Francis died at his residence within the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on the morning of Easter Monday.
He had been frail since his hospitalisation in February for double pneumonia.
He made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday in St Peter’s Square where he was greeted by 1000’s of individuals.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who left office earlier this 12 months but met Francis again and again during his tenure, said he would “miss him dearly”.
“It is with a deep sense of private sadness that I mourn the death of my friend, His Holiness Pope Francis,” said Welby.
“With our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters – together with the worldwide Church and plenty of more world wide – I’m crammed with an awesome sense of loss.
“He was a Pope who spoke not simply to the Catholic church, but far beyond it. His leadership was felt powerfully amongst us within the Anglican Communion.
“From the very first days of his papacy he was an example of humility. He continually reminded us of the importance of serving the poor, at all times standing with those that faced persecution and hardship.
“During my time as Archbishop of Canterbury, it was an awesome privilege to work with him in peacebuilding, not least in South Sudan. Over the years he became a friend and I’ll miss him deeply.”
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