Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has in a moving tribute to Pope Francis revealed that the late pope called him after his resignation last November.
While not disclosing the details of the call, Welby noted that it was “typical of the man who was, above all, a pastor ... It was always his instinct to connect and to comfort”.
As a further example of this, Welby pointed to the late pope’s special connection with the Holy Family Church in Gaza. The church is one of only three in the region and is the only Catholic church.
With the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, more than half of Gaza’s Christian population is believed to be taking refuge in the church.
Even while he was in hospital for what he called his “period of trial”, Pope Francis called the church nearly every day and thanked them for their prayers and closeness to him, as well as offering his own blessing upon them.
In his tribute, written for The Independent, Welby spoke of the many times he met Pope Francis, including their first encounter.
Recalling nerves and a sense of awe at the grandeur of the Vatican, he was caught off-guard by Pope Francis’ first words to him in which he apparently said, “I am senior to you."
He was relieved to discover in the next instant that it was a joke as the pope finished his sentence: “… by three days."
“He was inaugurated that much before me: in March, earlier that year. We both laugh and there are the beginnings of a friendship," said Welby.
The former Archbishop also spoke warmly of Pope Francis’ joint attempts with him to bring peace in Sudan and of his frustrations with Vatican politics and of his ability to deliver simple and clear sermons.
He said his legacy was “to be a pope of love, serving the God of love, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, like Jesus Christ".
"That love was returned – and it is that love that God’s church is called to sow, nurture and see from it a harvest, in God’s time," said Welby.
