"Deeply Saddening": Yogi Adityanath Condoles Demise Of Pope Francis
Lucknow:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed condolences on the demise of Pope Francis.
An official statement from the Chief Minister's Office read, "The passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, the supreme spiritual leader of the Catholic Christian community, is deeply saddening and an irreparable loss to the spiritual world."
"In this hour of grief, my condolences are with the global Catholic community. His Holiness Pope Francis will always be remembered for his compassion, humility, and noble spirit of service. I pray to the Almighty to grant the departed soul eternal peace and give strength to his grieving followers to bear this immense sorrow. Om Shanti!," it added.
Meanwhile, the Government of India declared a three-day State Mourning as a mark of respect following Pope Francis's passing on Monday, according to an official notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Mourning will be observed across the country on April 22 and 23 and again on the day of the Pope's funeral.
Pope Francis (88) died on Monday at his residence, Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican.
The Home Ministry stated: "Three-Day State Mourning as a mark of respect on the passing away of His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See."
"His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See, passed away today, the 21st April, 2025. As a mark of respect, three-day State Mourning shall be observed throughout India, in the following manner: Two days' State Mourning on Tuesday, the 22nd April, 2025 and Wednesday, the 23rd April, 2025. One day's State Mourning on the day of the funeral," the statement added.
As per the MHA, during the period of the State Mourning, the National Flag will be flown at Half Mast throughout India on all buildings where the National Flag is flown regularly, and there will be no official entertainment.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the Pope's death. He said Pope Francis' "affection for the people of India will always be cherished."
"Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world. From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope," PM Modi said on X.
"I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-around development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God's embrace," the Prime Minister added.
PM Modi had met Pope Francis during the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also mourned the Pope's passing and remembered him as a kind leader who worked to build a better world.
"Saddened at the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis," Jaishankar wrote on X.
He also shared a group photo with the Pope and added, "His compassion and commitment to building a better world defined his papacy. May his soul rest in peace."
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He became a Catholic priest in 1969. After Pope Benedict XVI resigned on February 28, 2013, a papal conclave elected Cardinal Bergoglio as his successor on March 13, 2013, he chose the name Francis in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Following his death, the Vatican has declared a nine-day mourning period called "Novendiale," an old Roman tradition. After this period, the Cardinals will meet in a Conclave to elect the next Pope.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Union Minister Jitendra Singh to launch month-long Special Campaign 2.0 for redressal of grievances of pensioners
New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): The Government of India is committed towards the empowerment of women and the welfare of senior citizens by effective redressal of Central Government pensioners' grievances. In this connection, it has been decided to undertake a month-long Special Campaign 2.0, during the period July 1-31, 2025, for the timely and qualitative redressal of Grievances of Family Pensioners and Super Senior Pensioners in a mission mode approach, said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions. The Special Campaign 2.0 will be launched by Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. A total number of 2,210 pension grievances have been taken up and shared with the 51 Ministries/Departments/Organisations for redressal under the campaign. A preparatory meeting under the chairmanship of the Secretary (Pension) was held on 11th June, 2025, with the Nodal Officers handling Pensioners' grievances. In the meeting, the guidelines issued for ensuring the smooth and seamless execution of the Special Campaign 2.0 were deliberated. Secretary (Pension) underscored that the prime objective of the campaign is to provide qualitative redressal of the grievances. Hence, it was emphasised that the grievances should be closed on the CPENGRAMS Portal only after their conclusive redressal. Further, it was informed that DoPPW will coordinate the implementation of the campaign and provide necessary assistance during the Campaign. Further, it was highlighted that Success stories/Best practices may be widely disseminated by the concerned Ministry/Department/Organisation through PIB/Tweet with a copy endorsed to this Department. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
11 years of PM Modi Government: Labour Ministry drives transformation in social security and welfare
New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): As the Government of India marks 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the Ministry of Labour and Employment highlights its key achievements in labour welfare, social security, and public healthcare. According to a release from the Ministry of Labour and Employment, three premier institutions in Hyderabad exemplify this transformation. The EPFO Regional Office, Barkatpura, has set new standards in service delivery through digital innovations, speedy claim settlements, and effective grievance redressal. With over 27 lakh accounts managed and 98 per cent of Pension on Higher Wages claims implemented, it stands as a national model of efficiency. At Sanath Nagar, the ESIC Medical College and Super Speciality Hospital has emerged as a leader in public healthcare and medical education. Equipped with over 1,000 beds and advanced diagnostics, the campus serves more than 72 lakh beneficiaries with IT-enabled, patient-centric services. Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Labour Welfare (DGLW) continues to uplift over 50 lakh unorganised workers through educational scholarships, healthcare assistance, and social protection, particularly in the Beedi, Cine, and mining sectors, the release added. To provide an in-depth, ground-level understanding of these success stories, the Ministry is organising a Press Tour to Hyderabad from 11th - 14th June 2025. Journalists will have the opportunity to interact directly with officials, beneficiaries, and frontline service providers. Through guided walkthroughs, live demonstrations, and presentations, media representatives will witness how 11 years of focused governance have resulted in tangible, people-centric outcomes in the labour sector, the release added. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Naga groups vow to shun differences for early solution after meeting with Centre's interlocutor
Dimapur, The Centre's interlocutor for the Naga peace talks, AK Mishra, on Wednesday held closed-door meetings with different Naga National Political Groups and also called on NSCN-IM general secretary Th Muivah. Mishra arrived in Chümoukedima on Tuesday evening, resuming critical discussions with various groups for an early solution to the Naga Political Issue. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Working Committee of the NNPG's working convener Isak Sumi said the current efforts are focused on formulating a comprehensive execution plan that includes all stakeholders, Naga political groups, civil society organisations, tribal leaders, and religious institutions. "For too long, the Naga people have been kept in suspense. Disappointment and disillusionment have crept in due to the delay," Sumi said, admitting past failures by political groups to act in unity. "We impose the interest of particular groups over the Naga people's interest... We make a sincere apology to the Naga people for all the wrongs that have been done," he added. Sumi said it was not about who signed which agreement anymore, it was about arriving at one common, inclusive solution. The discussions touched on the contentious issue of the 'Agreed Position' signed by the NNPGs and the 'Framework Agreement' signed by the NSCN-IM. "We did not come here to claim ownership of the Agreed Position. We came here as Naga leaders to push for a solution," said WC member P Tikhat. Echoing this sentiment, NSCN president Wangtin Naga said, "There may be two agreements signed by different groups, but both serve one purpose. In time, they will converge into one solution." While differences within the WC-NNPGs remain a concern, leaders stressed that these should not derail the larger peace process. WC-NNPG leader C Singson noted, "The Government of India is not interested in internal differences it wants a solution that is honourable and acceptable. We must now show unity to the world." He emphasised that delays are not solely the fault of the Centre, but also of the internal disunity among Naga political entities. "It's time for forgiveness, for acceptance. The Naga issue belongs to the people, not to any one group." Despite past disappointments, leaders expressed cautious optimism about the ongoing process. Sumi stated, "We are genuinely cooperating with initiatives like the Core Naga Reconciliation Committee under the Forum for Naga Reconciliation , and we hope that total unity will come once the Government of India formally calls for a solution." Ghukiho T Zhimomi, secretary of the group led by Kitovi, said, "We had a very interesting meeting today. The objective of our meeting was to simply find an early, honourable solution to the Naga problem." Mishra met NSCN-IM's Muivah at Camp Hebron, officials said. Following the signing of the ceasefire with NSCN-IM in 1997, the Centre has held several rounds of talks and finally inked the Framework Agreement in August 2015. However, the Centre has not accepted the persistent demand of NSCN-IM for a separate flag and constitution of Nagas and also integration of Naga inhabited areas. This has delayed the final solution. On the other hand, the Centre started parallel negotiations with the WC-NNPGs, composed of seven Naga groups, in 2017 and signed the Agreed Position in November same year. The WC-NNPGs have declared to accept whatever is possible for now and continue with the talks for the remaining demands.
