Pope Francis’ death mourned by celebs Rita Avila, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Erik Santos
Pope Francis celebrates New Year’s Day, at a Mass on World Day of Peace in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Jan. 1, 2025. Image: Andreas Solaro/AFP
The death of Pope Francis has left the Catholic faithful in grief, among them celebrities Rita Avila, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Erik Santos and Manilyn Reynes who honored the pontiff in their respective tributes.
Avila, through her Instagram page, recalled the time she received a thank-you letter from the pope in 2014 for sending him copies of her books.
“The letter that made me fall on my knees and weep. I couldn’t believe this humongous gift,” she said. “God’s way of lifting me up from losing my son & from being laughed upon by malicious people.”
“Thank you very much Pope Francis! Rest in peace. Rest in God’s arms,” she said in another post.
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“We bid farewell to our beloved Pope Francis, a beacon of faith, compassion, and humility. As a cherished papal awardee, his legacy of love and service will forever guide our hearts. Rest in God’s eternal peace, Holy Father,” Delas Alas, meanwhile, wrote.
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Santos, for his part, remembered his song performance during Pope Francis’ concluding Eucharistic celebration when he visited the Philippines in 2015.
“To be a part of this huge gathering in 2015 was one of my life’s greatest moments as a Christian,” the singer said. “Rest in peace, our beloved Pope Francis.”
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Reynes addressed the late pope as “Lolo Kiko,” saying, “Please continue to guide us… Thank you for loving us. We will never forget you. We love you.”
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Darren Espanto likewise recounted the late pontiff’s 2015 visit to the Philippines as he spoke about the latter’s impact on Catholic believers.
“[Ten] years ago, I had the privilege of singing for Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines. It was an honor to be chosen to sing for such a historical event,” Espanto said.
“He’s made a huge impact on lives around the world. May he rest in peace,” the singer added.
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Pope Francis, who had served as the leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, died on April 21 due to a stroke that caused a coma and “irreversible” heart failure. He was 88.
His passing came almost a month after he was hospitalized due to double pneumonia.
