Kolkata, Apr 21 (PTI) Joining millions of mourners across the globe, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday condoled the death of Pope Francis and termed it “a loss for humanity.” During a function at Salboni in Paschim Medinipur to lay the foundation of a power plant, Banerjee touched upon the death of the Pope and expressed her deep sorrow.

“We are saddened by his death, which is a terrible loss,” she said.

In a post on X, Banerjee said, “Saddened to know of the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope is the highest esteemed authority in the Catholic world and billions of Christians in this planet revere him as the Supreme Pontiff.” “My heart goes out to all my fellow Christian brothers and sisters in India and rest of the world and I feel connected with them all in a profound sense of loss and empathy.” TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also condoled the death of Pope Francis.

“The passing of His Holiness Pope Francis is not just a loss for Catholics around the world, but also for all of humanity that looked to him as a beacon of courage, tolerance and moral clarity,” he said in a post on X.

Referring to the Pope’s Easter message, delivered just hours before his death, the Diamond Harbour MP quoted him, “There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others.” He added that these words “will endure as a mirror held up to the conscience of our times.” “The world mourns a shepherd of empathy in an age of noise,” the senior TMC leader said.

St Xavier’s University Vice-Chancellor Father Felix Raj told PTI that Pope Francis has been a “transformative leader since his election in 2013, bringing a fresh perspective to the papacy.” “Through the powerful and stimulating messages of Laudato Sì (Praise Be) and Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Pope Francis connected with a humanity that hungered and thirsted for a message of hope, compassion and consolation. His leadership, his commitment to reform, renewal and social justice remained unwavering, leaving a lasting legacy that extended far beyond the Catholic Church,” Raj said.

Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change, died on Monday. He was 88.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church Cardinal,” Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in an announcement.

Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. PTI SUS MNB