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States » EastPosted at: Apr 21 2025 10:01PM


Roman Catholics in Meghalaya mourn Pope Francis’ death

Shillong, Apr 21 (UNI) Church bells rang out across Meghalaya on Monday evening mourning the death of Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Catholic faithful rushed to churches to pray and express their grief on hearing the sudden demise of the 88-year-old Pope Francis on Easter Monday after battling with serious bouts of pneumonia.
Most Rev. Victor Lyngdoh, who was appointed as Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese by Pope Francis on December 28, 2020, described the demise of the first Latin American pontiff as a “great loss to the Church and the entire world”.
He also announced a Requiem Mass for Pope Francis in Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Shillong on Tuesday (April 22) at 5.30 p.m.
“Pope Francis has been a true shepherd of God’s people, a champion for the cause of the poor and the marginalised. As the spiritual leader of the Church, he led it with spiritual wisdom, paternal love, humility, and openness, always seeking to promote communion and good will among all peoples,” Lyngdoh said in a statement.
“His compassion for the poor, the least and the last and especially for those on the peripheries, such as the migrants and refugees, gained worldwide recognition. His love and care for Mother Earth, expressed in his Encyclical Letter, ‘Laudato Si’, has become a global movement. The jubilee year of hope declared by him and now in progress is inspiring many to turn to the loving mercy of God,” the Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese added.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has expressed profound grief and described Pope Francis as “truly a People’s Pope”.
“I am deeply saddened by the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis. As the Head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope led by example. He was truly a People’s Pope, and his life embodied humility, love, and compassion, which has inspired countless souls,” Sangma, a devout Roman Catholic, wrote in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
He said the Pope would be remembered and cherished as he advocated for peace across the world.
“I also recall with nostalgia the historic moment I met with the Pope at the Vatican in December 2022, where I requested him to pray for the state, the nation and its people. Today, we have lost the Shepherd of the Church, a Global Leader, and the People’s Pope. But his life will be an inspiration to all of us. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the Chief Minister, who posted an image of him meeting the Pope in 2022 at the Vatican, added.
Expressing “profound grief at the passing of Pope Francis, Meghalaya BJP state President, Rikman G Momin said the BJP stands in solidarity with the global church, as well as with people of the state, a vast majority of whom are Christian, in this moment of grief.
“The late Pope's efforts to ensure women empowerment, wherein he made women full members of dicasteries, strike a chord amongst every individual. His total commitment towards the cause of climate change, his unwavering dedication towards the welfare of the world and all living beings, act as an inspiration for all of us,” Momin said. The Catholic Association of Shillong has also expressed its profound sorrow and deepest condolences on the sudden demise of Pope Francis and said, “Pope Francis was a beacon of hope, guiding the faithful with humility and love.”
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