EU leaders mourn late Pope Francis

BRUSSELS, April 21 (KUNA) -- European Union leaders mourned on Monday Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 after battling illness.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on social media platform, X "The world mourns the passing of Pope Francis." "He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate," she added.
She expressed solidarity with all those who feel this "profound loss," hoping that "they find solace in the idea that Pope Francis' legacy will continue to guide us all toward a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world." For her part, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas expressed her "deep sadness" upon learning the news of Pope Francis' death in a post on X, offering her sincere condolences to "all Catholics in the world." Meanwhile, European Council President Antonio Costa joined the "many millions across the globe who mourn the death of His Holiness Pope Francis." Costa said in a post on X: "He was a deeply compassionate. He cared about the major global challenges of our time-migration, climate change, inequality, and peace-alongside the everyday struggles of one and all." He added that in his most recent message for the World Day of Peace, the Pope proposed three steps to bring about "lasting change": forgiving international debt, abolishing the death penalty, and reallocating military spending to end hunger.
"May his ideas continue to guide us toward a future full of hope. May he rest in peace," Costa said.
President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola also mourned Pope Francis, stating in a post on X that "his contagious smile captured millions of people's hearts across the globe.'The People's Pope' will be remembered for his love for life, hope for peace, and compassion for equality and social justice." (end) arn.aai