Hanoi, April 22, 2025 – The Europe Today: Upon receiving the news of the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính extended his deepest condolences to the Vatican.
In a message addressed to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, Prime Minister Chính conveyed his heartfelt sympathy to the Holy See and the global Catholic community, mourning the loss of a revered spiritual leader.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn also sent a message of condolence to Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Vatican, expressing sorrow on behalf of the Vietnamese Government and people.
The Vatican earlier announced through a video statement that Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88. It was later confirmed that the pontiff succumbed to a stroke followed by irreversible heart failure.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was elected as the 266th head of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. His papacy marked several historic firsts — he was the first Jesuit pope, the first from Latin America, and the first non-European pope in over 1,000 years. Throughout his tenure, Pope Francis was widely respected for his humility, advocacy for the poor, and commitment to interfaith dialogue and global peace.
