𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲?

By: Sanad Sahelia

Amid the deep sorrow that engulfed the world following the passing of an extraordinary figure like Pope Francis, it was not surprising to hear some voices attacking him harshly, calling for a boycott of his funeral. Some even went so far as to mock and gloat, refusing to pray for mercy upon him. What makes this scene even more painful is that some of these stances come from people who claim to be advocates of freedom, love, and mercy — not of defamation and exclusion.

But let us pause for a moment and reflect — not with the mind of anger, but with the spirit of the human values that unite us all as human beings, and with the spirit of true faith, whatever its source may be.

Can it be conceivable that God would not have mercy on a man like Pope Francis?

This man, known as the “Pope of the Poor,” refused to reside in the Apostolic Palace and chose instead to live in the guesthouse “Casa Santa Marta” as a symbol of humility. He chose to be close to the people, lived among the simple, served the sick and homeless, and opened his heart before his hand to the poor, the refugees, and the marginalized. He called for peace when the world remained silent, and stood by the innocent in Gaza and elsewhere when the crisis intensified, boldly declaring: “Stop this war, this is madness!”.

His simplicity was not a mere appearance, but a way of life — even in his final farewell. He instructed that his funeral be modest, without grandeur or display, just as he had lived... stripped of pretension, sincere, and a true shepherd to every human being.

From the very beginning of his papacy, he declared it plainly: “I want a poor Church for the poor.” And he walked this path to the very end. He spoke the language of humanity that unites and does not divide, embraced wounds, and prayed for Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike. Is this the man who deserves attack and ridicule?

In fact, his sincere and humane stances on the aggression in Gaza led to fierce attacks from Israeli entities, and calls emerged to boycott his funeral — simply because he spoke the truth. Because he stood with the children under the rubble, with the bereaved mothers, with the Palestinian pain. Because he did not equate the victim with the executioner, but sided with the truth, even if that meant incurring the wrath of the powerful.

Isn’t it strange that the Pope is attacked from both sides: by those who claim to have faith and gloat over him because “he is not of their religion,” and by those who claim to stand for freedom and attack him because he did not align with their political narrative? This reveals just how truthful this man was — and how painful truth can be to those who cannot bear it.

Mercy is not merely a slogan we raise when someone agrees with our convictions; it is a test for us. Christ taught us to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful, saying: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

Likewise, the Holy Qur’an states: “My mercy encompasses all things” (Al-A’raf: 156), and in the Hadith: “Have mercy on those on earth, and the One in the heavens will have mercy on you.” So, if we truly believe in a God of love, how can we imagine that He would not have mercy on a man who devoted his life to love, justice, and truth?

And if God were not to have mercy on Pope Francis, that good shepherd who carried the burdens of all humanity — then who would be worthy of His mercy after him?

Let us be silent for a moment before the mystery of death, and reflect on the life of this man — not only from the perspective of doctrine, but from the standpoint of the values that unite us as human beings: mercy, justice, peace, and love.

Let Pope Francis’s passing be a call for us to abandon the language of gloating, and to draw closer to one another in the spirit of fraternity which he believed in and defended until his very last breath.

May your soul rest in peace, and thank you for your prayers and for standing with us. You will remain in our hearts and memories forever.