VICE President General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga, currently in Rome, Italy, to attend the burial of Pope Francis, has paid tribute to the late pontiff for his tireless efforts in promoting peace and advocating for the welfare of the poor.
The Vice President is attending the burial ceremony, scheduled for Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he highlighted Pope Francis’ unwavering commitment to fostering peace in conflict-ridden regions, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Israel.
“The Pope advocated for world leaders to acknowledge that there are poor people in society and how those poor people should be looked after. When we talk of peace, there is no society or country or region, and to make matters worse the world can never develop in a state of awe,” he said.
“This is why the Pope travelled in all the troubled areas, troubled spots of the world. You know, in Africa, he visited the DRC and Sudan, and he went to Israel to try and broker peace in those troubled areas. He was quite vocal for peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and in all areas, he was quite emphatic that wars do not bring any solution to anyone, except that they are destructive.
“When you look at the issue of the poor, every country, every society has its own poor community. Some may not be poor by choice but due to circumstances, such as those caused by war. When there is conflict, there is no productivity. People are displaced left, right, and centre. But even in peaceful countries, inequalities still exist. That is what the Pope was concerned about, people lacking the basics: medicines, water, food. These are the things that make life livable, and this is where the Pope placed his concern.”
Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta at the age of 88 was a highly influential figure, leading the Catholic Church since his election on March 13, 2013.
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis was known for his humility, concern for the poor and the marginalised and advocacy for environmental protection.
He played a significant role in international diplomacy and was widely respected for his efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and peace. His papacy was marked by a focus on making the Church more compassionate.
