Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, was an "alien presence" at the Vatican, bringing about a revolution of modesty and simplicity within the Catholic Church.
Israel's former ambassador to the Vatican: Deleting the tweet was "a mistake" and "we shouldn't keep score like this after someone's death."
From the very beginning of his papacy, Francis struck a markedly different tone toward the Jewish State than toward its adversaries.
"He tried to bring the church closer with the Jewish people, and he was always a friend, was always open to Jewish people and leaders that had questions or requests," said Rabbi Yosef Kleiner.
Christians in Gaza said that they had "lost a man who fought every day in every direction to protect this small herd of his."
As early as October 2023, the late Pope had highlighted the well-being of the hostages in his remarks on October 7, 2023, and on the ensuing Israel-Hamas war.
The following rituals mark the end of one papacy and the start of the next.
"The global Catholic community bids farewell to a leader who recognised the burning issues of our day and called attention to them," Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said.
Pope Francis suggested the global community study whether Israel's military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.
Francis, originally from Argentina, was the first Catholic pontiff from the Americas and began his career as a Jesuit priest in Argentina.
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