At the sidelines of a defense conference in Amadora, Lisbon, former Portuguese Prime Minister and ex-President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, shared with journalists his reflections on Pope Francis, emphasizing his “image of compassion and great tolerance.”
“He was someone who delivered a message that went far beyond the scope of Catholics, Christians, or even believers in general. It was an image of compassion, tolerance, and an identification with every individual, regardless of religious creed or any other circumstance. I believe this is obviously a loss for the Catholic Church and also for the world,” Durão Barroso stated.
Barroso highlighted that today’s world is “very fragmented,” and dominated by the “logic of interests and the brutalization of politics,” calling for “voices of significant spiritual authority” and “greater attention to values, not just interests.”
When asked about his interactions with Pope Francis during his tenure as head of the European Union, Durão Barroso recalled discussions revolving around the “European process,” globalization, and the path toward an “inclusive globalization.”
Pope Francis passed away this Monday at the age of 88 due to a stroke, after 12 years of pontificate.
Born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, Francis was the first Jesuit and first Latin American to become the leader of the Catholic Church.
His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday at the Vatican, the day before he died. Pope Francis was hospitalized for 38 days due to bilateral pneumonia and was discharged on March 23.
Portugal is set to announce three days of national mourning.
