Koroi
Hawkins, RNZ Pacific Editor
Christina
Persico, RNZ Pacific Bulletin Editor
Two
cardinals will be representing Pacific Island countries at
the conclave in the Vatican to elect the new
pope.
Pope Francis died
on Easter Monday morning, local time, aged 88.
The
pope’s death prompts a period of mourning, after which all
cardinals under the age of 80 will convene to pick the
next leader of the Catholic Church.
Only cardinals
under the age of 80 are allowed to vote, although they can
take part in the conclave.
There are currently 252
cardinals, 138 of whom are cardinal electors.
Cardinal
Mafi of Tonga and Cardinal Ribat of Papua New Guinea will
travel to Rome to take part.
The Vatican confirmed
Cardinal Mafi’s participation in the conclave to RNZ, and
the Catholic church in Papua New Guinea has confirmed travel
arrangements are being made for Cardinal Ribat to travel to
Rome.
The Bishop of Lae in Papua New Guinea Rosario
Menezes said Pope Francis, who visited the country in
September last year, has done a lot for the church in
PNG.
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“This is our privilege, also because of Pope
Francis, we have the first cardinal in the person of
Cardinal John Ribat,” Menezes said.
“By appointing him
as a cardinal, he has put the Catholic church in PNG on the
world map, giving us the confidence that even though we are
a missionary church here, we can contribute a lot to the
universal church.
“We are very proud that PNG can also
be part of the part of choosing the next leader of the
Catholic church.”
Pacific leaders have joined those
from around the world in paying tribute to the late
pope.
Papua New Guinea’s prime minister James Marape
said the pope’s death is a loss to all humanity.
“He
was a spiritual father to over a billion Catholics around
the world and a moral voice of conscience in times of global
uncertainty,” Marape said.
The pope had visited PNG in
September last year, and Marape said his words and presence
inspired the people, reminding them to care for
the
vulnerable, to act justly, and to walk humbly with
God.
“During his time in Port Moresby and Vanimo, Pope
Francis brought a message of unity, inclusion, and
hope.”
The Cook Islands prime minister, Mark Brown,
said the late pope was “a man of deep humility and
unwavering faith”.
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni
Rabuka said the legacy of faith, compassion, and service
that Francis leaves behind will continue to inspire
generations within and beyond the Catholic Church.
The
head of Fiji’s Catholic Church, Archbishop Peter Loy Chong,
said the pontiff would move around in his wheelchair with a
sense of humour, joy, and comfort.
He said the Pope
embraced his own vulnerability, often asking people to pray
for him.
Father Paulo Filoiali’i from Samoa was the
first Pacific islander to study in Rome, and Samoan Mass was
celebrated for the first time in the Vatican at his
ordination in 1990.
He said Pope Francis, then a
Jesuit priest, was his teacher in spirituality.
Father
Paulo said to him, Francis was not only a Pope but a
Father.
Real
or fake
Menezes said they have been flooded with
phone calls and messages from people wanting to confirm the
news of the Pope’s death.
He said earlier this year
when the Pope fell ill, there were a lot fake posts about
his death being circulated on social media.
“We had to
call a press conference to make it clear to the people that
when Pope dies, there are protocols to follow, and we will
get the news from the Vatican,” he said.
“To make sure
that it is true, there were many calls in the evenings and
just to confirm that it is true. So people have been very
much saddened, and the condolences are pouring
in.”
Pope Francis’ body will be taken into St Peter’s
Basilica on Wednesday morning at 0700 GMT, in a procession
that will be led by cardinals. He will lie in state there
until Friday evening.
His
funeral service will be held at 10:00am the following day in
St Peter’s Square, in front of the 16th century
basilica. It will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni
Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of
Cardinals.
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