Czechia mourns and remembers Pope Francis
On April 21st, it was announced to the world that Pope Francis had passed away in the Vatican, at the age of 88. Many Czechs have been affected by his death, and political and religious leaders in Czechia have expressed condolences and shared their memories of the late pontiff.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina in 1936, Francis was elected pope in 2013, following the shock resignation of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. The papal name he adopted, Francis, was a sign of his intentions and objectives for his papacy.
Like his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis made poverty and the environment key missions of his tenure. Together with his simple style of worship and humble manner, and his attempts to reform the workings of the Holy See, Pope Francis gained many admirers inside and outside the Roman Catholic Church.
As a clear indication of the esteem in which he was held, political leaders across the globe expressed their condolences following the announcement of the pope’s death. These included Czech statesmen, such as President Petr Pavel, who wrote on the X platform:
“Pope Francis was, above all, a representative of humanity in the contemporary world. In times of uncertainty, he saw strength in values that we sometimes forget - in kindness, faith, humility and understanding. He left behind an inspiring legacy that will continue to endure.”
Likewise, Prime Minister Petr Fiala wrote that the late pope “showed great concern for those who suffer from any injustice” and “exuded humanity and humility”. Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský also stated that he received the news “with deep sorrow” and called the pope “a voice of compassion, justice and hope in a troubled world.”
Pope Francis did not visit Czechia, unlike his two predecessors, but he left lasting impressions on many Czechs and Christians in Czechia, some of whom have been publicly sharing their experiences. The Bishop of Plzeň Tomáš Holub spoke about his reaction to the news and his memories of an informal conversation with the pope:
“I really cried, and I'm not saying this as a formal thing, but tears came to my eyes because Pope Francis was a spiritual father to me …
"I had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis several times. Probably the longest meeting was during the bishops’ Ad Limina pilgrimage, the annual visit to Rome and the Holy Father … Francis listened extremely attentively, reacted completely spontaneously. I must say that another characteristic of all those meetings with him was his cheerfulness. During my first meeting, when I was the secretary of the Czech Bishops’ Conference, he looked at me and said, “do you even have a high school diploma?”, making fun of me for being too young.”
The Bishop of Plzeň is involved in the tradition of sending the pope a sample of Pilsner beer, which this year was accompanied by a special handmade beer glass. The Archbishop of Prague, Jan Graubner, also announced that a funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague on Friday.
It was announced on Tuesday that the funeral for Pope Francis will take place on Saturday 26th, before which his body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday. World leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, are expected to attend the funeral. Conclave, the process by which the Church’s cardinals elect the next pope, will begin between fifteen and twenty days after the previous pontiff’s passing.
