Pope Francis' demise has been mourned by numerous leaders worldwide, with the Prime Minister also extending his condolences. The official condolence book was signed by the Prime Minister, acknowledging the Pope's global impact and contributions.
In a somber move on a Thursday, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stepped foot at the Apostolic Nunciature of Thailand, the Vatican's formal abode in Thailand, to pen her thoughts in the book of condolences, in honor of the late Pope Francis. The pontiff departed from us on April 21, at the age of 88, in the heart of Vatican City. His final farewell was held on April 26 at the awe-inspiring St Peter's Basilica, in Rome.
Among the mourners paying their respects were Paolo Dionisi, the Italian ambassador to Thailand, and Dr Somsak Leeswadtrakul, a noteworthy Thai businessman and philanthropist. Dr Somsak was bestowed one of the Catholic Church's highest honors, the Knights Grand Cross of the Pontifical Order of St Gregory the Great.
Ms Paetongtarn expressed her sorrow over the pope's passing on social media, tweeting, "Thailand, on behalf of its people, extends its deepest condolences to the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His boundless compassion, courage, humility, and relentless pursuit of peace inspired countless individuals across borders. Thailand unites with the world in mourning the loss of a shining beacon of humanity. May he rest in eternal peace."
The worldwide mourning process for Pope Francis was not limited to high-profile individuals. For instance, the Diocese of Venice held a commemorative Mass, gathered hundreds of faithful, but no specific dignitaries were mentioned[5]. The diocese also provided a condolence book and an online message form[5]. Similarly, Italian consulates in both New York and Detroit opened their doors for the general public to sign condolence books[1][2], and Ireland's Bishops' Conference set up an online condolence book[3]. Meanwhile, Australian MP Gareth Ward hosted a physical condolence book in Kiama for community-wide reflection[4]. Despite the extensive mourning process across the globe, no specific heads of state, celebrities, or high-profile religious leaders are explicitly cited in the records. Instead, the focus remains on the collective grief and tribute paid through institutional channels[1-5].
- Dr Somsak, the Thai businessman who received the Knights Grand Cross of the Pontifical Order of St Gregory the Great, also paid his respects at the Apostolic Nunciature of Thailand, signing the book of condolences for Pope Francis.
- The mourning for Pope Francis was a global event, with Thailand joining the rest of the world in sending condolences, as Prime Minister Paetongtarn expressed on her social media platform, referring to the late pope as a "shining beacon of humanity."
- Politics and general news were not unaffected by the passing of Pope Francis, as the worldwide condolence process showed, with several dioceses, consulates, and individual community members expressing their grief through various channels, underscoring the significant impact the pope had on people across borders.
