Marcos, Pinoys mourn Francis' passing

President Marcos joined the world yesterday in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, whom he described as "the best pope in my lifetime."

- By HELEN FLORES

"Pope Francis is one of a kind. That's really sad. I love this pope. The best pope in my lifetime as far as I'm concerned," Marcos said.

In a separate statement, Marcos said the Philippines is one with the Catholic community worldwide in grieving the loss of Francis.

"A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten," Marcos said.

"By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another. His humility brought many back to the fold of the Church," the President said.

"As we mourn his passing, we honor a life that brought hope and compassion to so many, and inspired us to love one another as Christ loved us. It is a profoundly sad day," the Chief Executive said.

On Easter Sunday, Francis appeared before the crowd at St. Peter's Square with a message of "Happy Easter."

According to Vatican News, Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. (Vatican time) on Monday. He was 88.

Francis made a historic visit to the Philippines in 2015, mainly to visit the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. He was affectionately known among Filipinos as "Lolo Kiko."

Archbishop of Manila Jose Cardinal Advincula remembered Pope Francis as a true father with genuine love for the Philippines.

"Throughout his pontificate, our Lolo Kiko was a true father to us and has continued to show his love for the Philippines — not only through words, but through actions," said Advincula.

"As we reflect on the journey of Pope Francis' pontificate, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the gift of his person, a precious gift of God to the Church and to the world — and in a very special way to us as a Filipino people," he said.