President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) said, on Saturday (26), to expect the next Pope to maintain the same social and humanitarian commitments that marked the pontificate of Francisco.
The statement was made after Lula and an entourage of the Brazilian government participated in the Pope’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
“God wish that the next Pope was equal to him, with the same heart, with the same religious commitments, to the same commitments to combat inequality,” said the president.
Lula stressed that Francis was not just a religious leader, but a person who was concerned with humanitarian issues, hunger and other crises that afflict the world.
In regretting the death of the pontiff, Lula also stressed that he was “a man who marked the history of the 21st century.”
“Our coming here is a thank you, a thank you to God who allowed us to follow the departure of a man who marked history in the 21st century,” said the president.
The Brazilian head of state also stressed that he will return to Brazil with the feeling of having fulfilled his duty as a Christian, as a religious and as a politician “of an admirable person, such as Pope Francis”.
See images of Pope Francis’ coffin:
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Pope Francis’ coffin is taken to funeral in St. Peter’s Square • Reuters
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Pope Francis’ coffin is taken to St. Peter’s Square by the gentlemen of his holiness – stewards or created from the Pope • Reuters
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Pope Francis’ coffin is positioned in St. Peter’s Square to Funeral • Reuters
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Crowd accompanies Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square • Reuters
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Church authorities and heads of state accompany Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square • Reuters
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Faithful accompany Pope Francis’ funeral in St. Peter’s Square • Reuters
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