NNA – United States Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued today the following statement on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis:

quot;I join the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a messenger of hope, humility and humanity.nbsp;

Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion for all mdash; especially those left on the margins of life or trapped by the horrors of conflict.

Pope Francis was a man of faith for all faiths mdash; working with people of all beliefs and backgrounds to light a path forward.nbsp;

Through the years, the United Nations was greatly inspired by his commitment to the goals and ideals of our organization mdash; a message I conveyed in my meetings with him as Secretary-General.nbsp;

In his historic 2015 visit to United Nations headquarters, he spoke of the organizationrsquo;s ideal of a ldquo;united human family.rdquo;

Pope Francis also understood that protecting our common home is, at heart, a deeply moral mission and responsibility that belongs to every person. His Papal Encyclical mdash; Laudato Si mdash; was a major contribution to the global mobilization that resulted in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.nbsp;

Pope Francis once said: ldquo;The future of humankind isnrsquo;t exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companieshellip;[it] is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a lsquo;yoursquo; and themselves as part of an lsquo;us.rsquo;rdquo;

Our divided and discordant world will be a much better place if we follow his example of unity and mutual understanding in our own actions.nbsp;nbsp;

I offer my deepest condolences to Catholics and all those around the world inspired by the extraordinary life and example of Pope Francis.quot;

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New York, 21 April 2025

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—– @UNICBeirutnbsp;

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