An African priest eulogises Pope Francis as one who would be remembered for saying, “Africa is not only a continent rich in resources, but a spiritual lung, full of life and hope, despite suffering,” while praying for a worthy successor of Saint Peter.
The death of Pope Francis in the early hours of Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in his Casa Santa Marta’s Vatican residence has drawn attention to his persona, spirituality, humility, sense of humour, and uncommon compassion for the marginalized. The soundbites of eulogies that have trailed the death of the 266th Roman Pontiff seem surprising given his encyclical letter Fiducia Supplicans, which sparked controversies between progressives and conservatives. Despite his Latin American roots, like Abraham, Papa Francesco came across to all as “a father of multitudes.” For the Church in Africa, his 12-year pontificate will be remembered as one that was characterised by five legacies.
First, he told truth to power by warning against the “Ideological colonisation” of Africa. During a workshop, titled “Colonisation, Decolonisation and Neocolonialism in the Perspective of Justice and the Common Good,” organised by the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences, the Commission of Pan American Judges for Social Rights and Franciscan Doctrine and the University of Massachusetts, U.S.A, from 30-31 March 2023, he denounced neocolonialism, and warned against modern economic and ideological colonialism. He used the opportunity to apologise for those Christians who contributed to the colonisation of Africa and the Americas.
Second, he strategically encouraged peace and dialogue across Africa. For instance, by choosing the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, who was a champion of peace, Pope Francis prioritised global peace, especially in Africa, where there are 28 state-based conflicts per year, according to 2024 data released by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program at Uppsala University. Interestingly, in 2019, he demonstrated a highly symbolic gesture of kneeling to kiss the feet of rival leaders from South Sudan at the Vatican. Four years later, he visited that country on a peace mission in the company of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. In a letter, he urged President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar “to prioritise peace, reconciliation and development for the benefit of their people – South Sudanese.”
Third, he wore the jersey of the poor, afflicted, and marginalised. For instance, before the COP28, the Vicar of Christ issued an important Apostolic Exhortation in 2023, titled Laudate Deum in which he wrote in favour of Africa: “…There are those who would place responsibility on the poor, since they have many children, and even attempt to resolve the problem by mutilating women in less developed countries. As usual, it would seem that everything is the fault of the poor. Yet the reality is that a low, richer percentage of the planet contaminates more than the poorest 50% of the total world population, and that per capita emissions of the richer countries are much greater than those of the poorer ones. How can we forget that Africa, home to more than half of the world’s poorest people, is responsible for a minimal portion of historic emissions?” Little wonder, Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, described him as a “tireless champion of the poor.”
Fourth, from Amazon to Africa, his encyclical Laudato Si’ decried the effects of climate change. The “Green Pope,” as he is called because of his love for nature, had a penchant for being hard on wealthy nations and individuals whose actions keep Africa in perpetual exploitation. Again in Laudate Deum, Francis lamented that: “If we consider that emissions per individual in the United States are about two times greater than those of individuals living in China, and about seven times greater than the average of the poorest countries, we can state that a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact. As a result, along with indispensable political decisions, we would be making progress along the way to genuine care for one another.”
Fifth, he is fondly remembered as a father and friend of Africa. This is encapsulated in various tributes across the continent. In their eulogy, the Catholic Bishops of Ghana stated: “You reminded us that holiness wears a towel, not a tiara. Even as your strength waned, your heart remained with Africa’s suffering, the displaced in Cabo Delgado, the hungry in the Sahel, the persecuted in the Horn.” The tribute stressed that “He walked where others feared,” and added, “From Nairobi’s slums to Maputo’s seminaries, you nurtured their potential. You gave us more than words: You established the Pan-African Theological Commission and opened spaces for African scholars, proving that our theology should not echo foreign voices alone but speak in the rhythm of African drums, in the languages of ancestors and angels alike.” The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), through its President, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, emphasised that Francis’ papacy was marked by humility, sweeping reforms within the Church, and a commitment to interfaith dialogue.
Interestingly, data from the Vatican indicates that more than 281 million Catholics are domiciled across Africa’s 54 countries, beyond the 185 million when Francis was elected pope in 2013. Nigeria and Kenya have the highest number of vocations to the priestly and religious life. This is besides having the highest weekly Church attendance rates in the world. This is in addition to large Catholic populations in DR Congo, Cameroon, Angola, and Uganda. According to Rome Reports, Pope Francis made 47 international trips, visiting 10 African countries in 5 apostolic travels during his 12-year pontificate – Kenya, Uganda, and Central African Republic (CAR) (25 – 30 November 2015); Egypt (28 – 29 April 2017); Morocco (30 – 31 March 2019); Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius (4 – 9 September 2019); the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (31 January – 3 February 2023); and South Sudan (3 – 5 February 2023).
In conclusion, during a 2022 audience, Pope Francis acknowledged the continent’s contribution to global affairs when he said, “Africa is not only a continent rich in resources, but a spiritual lung, full of life and hope, despite suffering.” Will the continent expect a Pope from Africa? Well, no one is elected as a regional or continental pontiff. In 2024, when CBS News reporter Norah O’Donnell asked Pope Francis what legacy he intends to leave, he responded: “I never really thought about it. The Church is the legacy. The Church is not only through the pope, but through you, through every Christian, through everyone…I get on the bandwagon of the Church, and it is a legacy for all.” Rather than speculate about who will occupy the Chair of Saint Peter in the next few weeks following the white smoke that would emanate from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, what is expedient is to allow the Holy Spirit to choose for us a Holy “Servant of the servants of God.” May the soul of Pope Francis and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace!
Fr. Justine John Dyikuk, a priest of Bauchi Diocese, North-Eastern Nigeria is a UK Freelance Travel Journalist, a Ph.D. researcher in Journalism, Media, and Communication at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, and a Senior Fellow for International Religious Freedom Policy, Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), Washington DC, resident at St. Andrew’s Cathedral Glasgow, UK.
