On the Passing of the Pope of Peace
Pope Francis, Pontificate of Peace, for Peace …. Rest In Peace
David Kupfer

(April 21, 2025) — In his St. Peter’s Square address on Easter Sunday, aa day before his death, Pope Francis said he was thinking of “the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation.”

During the Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing, the day before he died, the Pope’s words echoed the countless appeals he had made over the years, urging world leaders to lay down arms and turn to dialogue.
Even as he struggled to speak, having asked someone to read his message on his behalf, his voice, albeit weak, resonated across St Peter’s Square and screens across the world.

I shall remember Pope Francis as a true Pope of peace through his tireless appeals and constant visits to show his closeness to those suffering the consequences of one of the most unjust human-made disasters: war.

From the beginning of his 12-year-long pontificate, Pope Francis led the global Catholic movement for peace advocacy. Through words, actions, and noble deeds, he manifested his unshakable belief in the power of reconciliation, the importance of dialogue, and the urgency of ending violence in all its forms.

Dubbed “the Pope of the peripheries,” Pope Francis consistently took the time to remind all his audiences of those suffering from violent conflict. While praying for peace in areas that gain most of the media attention, he also never once failed to send his prayers to some of the areas most hard-hit, but sadly, most forgotten by the world.

One of his most memorable and symbolic gestures, and a particularly profound moment of his pontificate, was in April 2019, when he knelt to and kissed the feet of South Sudanese leaders at the head of that nation grappling with a horrific civil war. As he greeted President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar in the Vatican, the Pope, in his humility, kissed their feet, urging the leaders to lay down their weapons and pursue paths of peace.
What United States leader has EVER COME CLOSE to such a human and humble gesture? Anyone? Mic drop
Yours for a greener earth,
David

Pope Francis and Palestine:
The Pontiff Spoke Out in Support of Gaza
Al Jazeera English

Pope Francis wielded enormous global influence and his words often resonated beyond the Church. That’s why his comments on Israel’s war on Gaza were so significant. They marked a sharp break from the Vatican’s historically cautious stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Pope Francis condemned attacks on civilians and directly criticized Israel, using words like ‘terrorism’ and ‘genocide’ – remarks that quickly drew backlash from Israel and its supporters.

Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi reports. Xavier Abu Eid, a political scientist and former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization, says Palestinians have lost a dear friend with the death of Francis, whom he describes as a staunch defender of their right to self-determination.