"May his legacy of the spirit of peace always live in the hearts of humanity," she said in a written statement issued in Jakarta on Monday.
Maharani recalled the visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia from September 3–6, 2024, which received a warm welcome from Indonesians.
This, she said, is proof that Pope Francis was not only loved by Catholics but also respected by people from various religions.
"The figure of the Pope, who was very humble and full of simplicity, made him admired by the Indonesian people," she added.
The House Speaker also recalled her meeting with the Pope and said she was flattered to be invited to the Apostolic Palace, Vatican City, to attend the World Leaders Summit on Children's Rights in early February this year.
She was invited along with her mother, the fifth president of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Maharani and Megawati met with Pope Francis at his residence on February 7, 2025.
Maharani noted that even though his health was poor, the Pope made time to meet them out of respect for the family of Indonesia's founding father, Soekarno.
She said that Pope Francis was a figure who strongly supported peace and advocated for an end to violence and war.
Therefore, she added, the Pope's death is not only a loss for Catholics, but also the global community.
Pope Francis, who was widely known for his commitment to humanitarian values and solidarity with the poor and the marginalized, breathed his last at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday.
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Translator: Bagus Ahmad, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
