From the Holy Land to the Vatican: Remembering Pope Francis
AMMAN — Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, made history in 2013 by becoming the first pope from Latin America and the first non-European pope in over a millennium.
He served as the 266th successor to Saint Peter and led the Roman Catholic Church for over a decade until his passing in April. Known for his humility and strong focus on social justice, he emphasised the Church's role in serving the poor and advocating for peace, especially in regions affected by war.
Father Rifat Bader, Roman Catholic priest in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and director of the Catholic Centre for Studies and Media in Jordan,recently returned from Rome after attending the Pope's funeral.
'A lot of people from all over the world came to visit his tomb, a simple tomb like he wanted it. There is only his name 'Franciscus' and the cross that he put on his robe,' Father Rifat told The Jordan Times.
Rifat described the atmosphere in Rome as one of deep mourning. 'Now is the 'Novem Dias', the Nine Days of mourning the pope. Pope Francis left a big legacy in the Church, as the figure of the Good Pastor, and took care of the church for 12 years.'
According to Father Rifat, Pope Francis was not only a religious or dogmatic figure, but he was close to the people who suffered from the wars, always insisting for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Gaza and Palestine in general, Sudan, Yemen, etc.'He mentioned all these places in his last speeches on Easter, hours before his passing away. This was his testament for the world : take care of these people,' Father said.
Father Rifat noted that the Pope maintained personal communication with religious leaders in war zones, including daily calls to the parish priest of the Holy Family in Gaza. 'For the people of Gaza, he was calling every day to show his solidarity. This did not please the other side, because he showed always his closeness to the people who are suffering, the women and children who were oppressed, lacking human rights.'
Relations between Jordan and the Vatican were warm during Pope Francis' papacy.In May 2014, during his first year as a pontiff, Pope Francis visited Jordan and initiated a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. 'It was a grace for us,' recalled Father Rifat, 'He described our King Abdallah as a man of peace.' The visit further strengthened diplomatic and interfaith ties between the Hashemite Kingdom and the Holy See.
Now, the Church is turning its attention to the conclave, the centuries-old process by which a new pope is chosen. The secretive election will begin on Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel. 'There will be an oath for all the cardinals that will be entering the Sistine Chapel,' Rifat explained. 'All the procedures are secret, these oaths make the election pure and authentic. We do not want any influence from any leader in the world. To choose the successor of a popeis not a political issue but a spiritual issue.'
In a historic first, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, PierbattistaPizzaballa, will participate in the conclave. 'This is a pride for our churchof Jerusalem, despite all the difficulties and challenges. To be in the conclave means the church of Jerusalem is not forgotten. All of our Patriarch's work has always been in Jerusalem so we are very proud that a man brought up in Jerusalem is representing our local church,' Father concluded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
2 hours ago
- Roya News
US government signals all 55 million visas can face revocation
The State Department announced Thursday that all 55 million foreign nationals holding US visas are potentially subject to ongoing review, as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown. "The Department's continuous vetting includes all of the more than 55 million foreigners who currently hold valid US visas," a State Department official said. "The State Department revokes visas any time there are indications of a potential ineligibility, which includes things like any indicators of overstays, criminal activity, threats to public safety, engaging in any form of terrorist activity or providing support to a terrorist organization." While not all 55 million visas are actively under review at every moment, the administration has made clear that each visa holder could face scrutiny. Students are a particular focus, with officials monitoring social media activity that visa applicants must now disclose. "We're reviewing all student visas," the anonymous official said, emphasizing that the department is "constantly monitoring what people have said" online. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also drawn attention by targeting anti-'Israel' activists under a rarely used law that allows visa revocations for individuals seen as acting against US foreign policy interests. Since Rubio assumed office in January under Trump, the State Department has revoked 6,000 visas, four times the number of student visas rescinded in the same period under former President Joe Biden. Rubio maintains that the administration can issue and revoke visas without judicial oversight, asserting that non-US citizens do not have constitutional free speech protections. However, courts have recently blocked two high-profile revocations. Mahmoud Khalil, a legal permanent US resident who organized pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, was released in June by a judge. Similarly, Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University who criticized 'Israel' in a campus publication, was freed by a judge in May pending further proceedings.
Roya News
9 hours ago
- Roya News
ANALYSIS: Each advance against Gaza deepens 'Israel's' isolation abroad
Every new statement by the Israeli Occupation touting so-called 'advances' in Gaza, whether tunnel demolitions, targeted assassinations of resistance leaders, or territorial gains, is increasingly met with political and diplomatic blowback, especially across Europe. While the military boasts appear aimed at reassuring the domestic public, the global reaction tells a different story: one of growing isolation and eroding legitimacy. - Fractures in Europe - European governments, once cautious in their criticism, are now moving toward stronger political actions. French President Emmanuel Macron sharply rebuked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's accusations of 'anti-Semitism' in France, describing them as 'shameful and inaccurate.' In The Hague, the Dutch government summoned the 'Israeli' ambassador and urged travel bans on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, citing inflammatory rhetoric, a move widely seen as unprecedented for a European state. Germany, meanwhile, is experiencing rare political turbulence after Chancellor Friedrich Merz suspended arms exports to 'Israel', a decision that has deepened divisions within his own party and weakened his standing with voters. Adding to the pressure, the European Council issued a joint and unambiguous demand for an immediate ceasefire, the release of detainees, and the lifting of the blockade on Gaza. - Media turns critical - The shift extends beyond politics. International media outlets, once cautious, are adopting sharper tones in their coverage. The Guardian has moved from balanced reporting to using the term 'killing' and openly calling for an end to support. The Financial Times has highlighted the glaring contrast between 'Israel's' battlefield rhetoric and growing international pressure. Newsweek reported that 'Israel' was responsible for more than half of all war-related deaths worldwide in 2024. - Eroding standing - The developments underline a growing reality: military hardware and battlefield control cannot offset the mounting losses 'Israel' faces on the diplomatic and media fronts. As Tel Aviv leans on military might to convince its domestic audience, its moral and diplomatic credibility is deteriorating daily, leaving allies hesitant, global media defiant, and international support steadily slipping away.
Jordan News
12 hours ago
- Jordan News
Trump Temporarily Steps Back from Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks - Jordan News
U.S. President Donald Trump intends to leave Russia and Ukraine to arrange a meeting between their leaders without taking a direct role for now, according to administration officials familiar with the matter, marking a step back from his efforts to mediate an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. اضافة اعلان From Trump's perspective, the next stage for ending the war involves a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the officials said. In recent days, Trump told his advisers that he plans to host a trilateral meeting with the two leaders only after they meet first, although the timing of that initial encounter remains unclear. Trump does not plan to intervene in the process. In a phone interview Tuesday with WABC host Mark Levin, Trump said he believes it is better for Putin and Zelensky to meet without him initially. 'I just want to see what happens at the meeting. They are setting it up, and we'll see what happens,' he added. Trump's hesitation to push for a meeting comes after he recently acknowledged that ending the war in Ukraine is more difficult than he expected, following his campaign claim last year that he could resolve it within 24 hours. Since then, Trump has sought a quick peace agreement, and after meetings with Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday, he said he had taken steps to arrange a bilateral meeting. A senior administration official described Trump's stance as a 'wait-and-see' approach to determine whether a Putin-Zelensky meeting can be scheduled. However, there have been no tangible signs of progress recently, and the White House does not have a shortlist of potential locations for the meeting. A White House statement said: 'Trump and his national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials on a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war… It is not in the national interest to negotiate these issues publicly.' Following White House meetings, Trump spoke with Putin in a call lasting about 40 minutes. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, later said that the two leaders agreed to appoint senior negotiators to hold direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. This suggests a bilateral meeting may remain distant, even as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed optimism about its possibility within two weeks. Putin has previously rejected Zelensky's attempts for a face-to-face meeting since the start of the war. At a White House press conference Monday evening, Zelensky said the European leaders' meeting with Trump focused on security guarantees for Ukraine in any peace agreement to prevent Russia from resuming its invasion. Trump offered to contribute to security guarantees but later ruled out deploying U.S. forces on the ground in Ukraine. Any U.S. assistance is expected to come in the form of intelligence sharing or possibly air support. Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, told CNN's State of the Union after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska that Putin agreed the United States could provide Ukraine with security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defense provision. Witkoff said: 'We were able to secure this concession: that the United States can provide Article 5-like protection, which is a key reason Ukraine seeks NATO membership.' However, Putin's acceptance of NATO-style guarantees may not be straightforward. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that Russia itself be one of the guarantor states for Ukraine—a proposal a White House official said was privately ridiculed. Lavrov said: 'The Ukrainian side proposed, and our delegation agreed, to draft security guarantees involving all permanent members of the UN Security Council—Russia, China, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.' Following White House meetings, Zelensky also proposed purchasing $90 billion of U.S. weapons through Europe for security guarantees, as well as buying U.S. drones for Ukraine. It remains unclear whether this is part of the arms deal Trump announced last month, according to The Guardian.
