“He had a very special soft corner for the poor”- Cardinal Ranjith’s message on passing of Pope Francis#adaderana #middayprime #news #popefrancis #catholic pic.twitter.com/HAgartXBPS

— Ada Derana (@adaderana) April 22, 2025

Pope Francis had a very special soft corner for the poor and always spoke about the poor and the downtrodden, says the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who paid glowing tribute to “a person who really represents Jesus Christ”. 

Issuing a special message on Tuesday (22) on the death of Pope Francis who passed away yesterday at the age of 88, the head of Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church described Pope Francis as a spiritual leader who had transformed the global image of the Catholic Church by exemplifying the true values of Christian faith—justice, fairness, truthfulness and affection, especially for the poor.

“What transpired in his life was this great attachment to the poor. He was always a person who spoke about the poor, who stood for the poor and the downtrodden,” he said.  

Highlighting the late pontiff’s enduring legacy and profound impact on the Church and the world,
Cardinal Ranjith stated that this is the heritage that they would have received from him through his life and mission as the supreme pontiff.

He emphasized that Pope Francis’s life and mission left behind a legacy rooted in love and advocacy for the marginalized, a heritage that will continue to inspire Christians and Catholics around the world.

In his statement, Cardinal Ranjith made a special appeal to Catholics and Christians to pray for the soul of Pope Francis. He also extended this request to Buddhists and people of all other religions, inviting them to join in prayer for the late pontiff. 

Reflecting personally, the Cardinal shared his close connection with Pope Francis, stating:

“I came to know him nearly 25 years ago, and we developed a friendship. When he became Pope, one of his first pastoral visits was to Sri Lanka, en route to the Philippines. He spent two days with us, visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu in the North, and met with people affected by the war.”

Cardinal Ranjith praised the Pope’s deep empathy for the suffering and his embodiment of Christ’s teachings, concluding with a prayerful message:

“He had very special soft corner for the poor and he always spoke about the poor. Therefore, he is a person who really represent Jesus Crist. With that, I invoke the Lord’s blessings upon him and pray that the Lord may grant him eternal rest in Heaven.”