"A Pontiff close to people, to the last, in a concrete and constant way. I feel a very strong personal pain for the passing of Pope Francis ."
Among the first people to comment on the passing of the Holy Father was Alessandra Todde , who in a note expressed «on behalf of the Region a feeling of profound sadness for the loss of a Pope to whom we were particularly fond, also for his closeness to Cagliari, where he wanted to make his first official visit because of his bond with the Madonna di Bonaria , who gave her name to his hometown, Buenos Aires».
A disappearance that leaves "an unfillable void", underlines the governor, because the action of his pontificate "has unfolded with determination in the search for peace, solidarity between peoples and justice , without paying attention to geographical, political or religious borders".
"A determination - continues Todde - that has often led him to clash with the skepticism of the world's powerful, as happened with Gaza or Ukraine, just to limit ourselves to two striking examples. With his visit to Lampedusa on 8 July 2013, a few months after his election to the throne of Peter, he defeated the cynicism of those who ignore or exploit an enormous tragedy such as migration and deaths in the Mediterranean . With his disappearance , the achievement of peace and human brotherhood are moving further away while instead the world sees the darkness of hatred, discrimination and war advance ".
A Pope who taught everyone, Todde concludes, that "true greatness lies in serving with humility, in loving without barriers and in affirming the dignity of every human being. His passing marks the absence of a moral guide who accompanied us in the most difficult moments and showed us the path of hope . The void he leaves is very deep, but his lesson must continue to push us to fight for a more just, humane and welcoming world, as he taught us to do."
"On behalf of the Regional Council, and personally, I express deep emotion and deep condolences for the death of the Pontiff". Thus, instead, the president of the Sardinian Regional Council Piero Comandini . "Pope Francis was a point of reference not only for the people of the Church but for all the fragile, disadvantaged, suffering people who saw in him a brother. Today, first of all, a man of great value who always fought for peace in the world and to defeat inequalities has passed away. He worked until the last day despite his illness and, in his last hours of life, he wanted to meet the children, the joy of his pontificate. Sardinia will never forget him".
As a sign of mourning , the flags at the Regional Council building were flown at half-mast.
(Online Union)