"Having Cared for His Flock and Answered the Call... Memorial Mass for Pope Francis Held at Myeongdong Cathedral"

Memorial Mass for Pope Francis Held at Myeongdong Cathedral
Archbishop Chung Soontaick: "The Pope, a Shepherd Who Smelled Like His Sheep"
"Sought to Make the Church a Space Open to All"
Funeral Mass to Be Held at 10 a.m. (Local Time) on the 26th

"Pope Francis, servant of the Lord, cared for his flock with righteous words and exemplary deeds. Now, having answered Your call, he rests in Your embrace today. Grant Pope Francis eternal rest."

This passage was recited during the memorial mass for Pope Francis held on the morning of the 23rd at the Cathedral Church of Myeongdong, under the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul.

On the morning of the 24th, a memorial mass for Pope Francis was held at Myeongdong Cathedral. Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul.

Archbishop Chung Soon-taick, who presided over the mass, said in his homily, "We received the news of Pope Francis's passing with deep sorrow," and added, "In faith, we firmly believe that the Pope has entered into eternal life, empowered by the glory of the Lord's resurrection."

He continued, "Since his enthronement, the Pope has shown us the true path of faith through his own example. He urged priests to be 'shepherds who smell like their sheep,' and sought to make the Church a field hospital?a space of mercy and healing open to all."

He also mentioned the special bond between Pope Francis and the Korean Church. Archbishop Chung said, "During his visit to Korea in 2014, he personally presided over the beatification mass for the Korean martyrs?the first such mass outside of Rome?honoring the legacy of faith," and added, "Above all, he persistently showed concern and prayed for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula, repeatedly urging all of us to walk the path of peace."

Archbishop Giovanni Gaspari, Apostolic Nuncio to Korea, said in his eulogy, "Pope Francis proclaimed the Gospel with simple and penetrating words, and demonstrated the strength of these words through his actions. He drew close to refugees and migrants, visited the sick, and just a week before his passing, on the previous Sunday, he visited a prison in Rome to meet with those incarcerated," he recalled.

He continued, "We will hold Pope Francis in our hearts, as he led the Church to be a place of welcome and mercy, and inspired all believers to be signs of hope. As the successor of Saint Peter, we entrust Pope Francis to the Risen Christ, who called him to serve the universal Church," he prayed.

On the morning of the 24th, a memorial mass for Pope Francis was held at Myeongdong Cathedral. Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul.

During the mass, a memorial video depicting the life of Pope Francis was shown. The service was attended by over 2,400 people, including Archbishop Joban Kim of the Korean Orthodox Church, Emilia Gatto, Ambassador of Italy to Korea, Jorge Enrique Valerio Hernandez, Ambassador of Costa Rica to Korea, former Apostolic Nuncio Han Hongsoon, as well as clergy, religious, and lay faithful, all expressing deep condolences.

According to the Archdiocese of Seoul, by 7 p.m. the previous day, around 10,000 people had visited the official memorial altar set up in the underground chapel of Myeongdong Cathedral to pray for and pay tribute to the Pope.

The funeral mass for Pope Francis will be held at 10 a.m. (local time) on the 26th at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. Archbishop Chung Soon-taick and Father Choi Kwanghee, Director of the Office of Culture and Communications, will attend as representatives of the Archdiocese.