Singapore leaders send condolences after death of Pope Francis, hail his ‘legacy of love and faith’

“TIRELESS ADVOCATE”

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 to Italian immigrants from Argentina, Pope Francis was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He became its head in March 2013. 

He died on Monday morning at his residence in the Vatican’s Santa Marta guesthouse, where he had been recovering after being hospitalised for five weeks with life-threatening pneumonia. 

Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore was the first papal visit to the country in 38 years.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, who served as the pope’s Minister in Attendance then, said he was “overwhelmed with a deep sadness” after hearing of his death. 

Describing the pontiff’s wry sense of humour and personable nature, Mr Tong recounted how the pope had joked with him during the quiet moments of the visit. 

“He was totally disarming, and made me feel at ease in his presence, and by doing so, he showed that whilst he was the pope, he was still also very much one of us,” he said.