In Memoriam: Pope Francis

On Easter Monday, at the age of 88, the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis, departed from this earthly life into eternity. We bid farewell not only to the leader of the largest Christian Church but also to a Christian whose heart burned with zeal for the whole House of the Lord. No one needs convincing of Pope Francis’ ecumenical commitment—he was present wherever, over the past twelve years, important matters for global and interpersonal ecumenism were unfolding.

I recall with gratitude Pope Francis’ participation in the ecumenical commemoration of the Reformation in Lund in 2016, as well as our personal meeting in the Vatican in 2021, when the Pope welcomed a large delegation from the Lutheran World Federation.

On that occasion, Pope Francis said, among other things, that ecumenism is not a matter of church diplomacy, but a path of grace. Our common pilgrimage is not about syncretism or the lowest common denominator—it is about unity in reconciled diversity. These words, which highlight God’s grace, remain an enduring signpost for Christians, including us Lutherans.

Rejoicing in the Paschal promise carried by the Easter celebration, we join spiritually with our Sisters and Brothers of the Roman Catholic Church, who mourn their shepherd and, in gratitude, entrust Francis’ life to the merciful God. Filled with Easter hope, we trust that:
“The Lord has given him rest, released him, saved him,
raised a monument to him in the hearts of people; time will not overthrow it.
All will remember him, both near and far, both great and small.” (hymn for a pastor’s funeral)

Bishop Jerzy Samiec
Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland