Most Venerable Banagala Upatissa Thero Offers Condolences on the Passing of Pope Francis
The President of the Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Society and Chief Sangha Leader of Japan, Most Venerable Banagala Upatissa Thero, has conveyed deep condolences on the passing of Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio).
Recalling multiple personal meetings with the Pope, the Thero described him as a figure of deep humility, a visionary advocate of interfaith harmony, and a champion for the poor. He specifically highlighted Pope Francis’s 2015 visit to Sri Lanka, during which the Pope visited the Maligakanda Agrasravaka at the Mahabodhi Temple—an event the Pope described as the first time a pontiff had visited a Buddhist temple.
In his message, Banagala Upatissa Thero reflected on the Pope’s lifelong dedication to peace and spiritual leadership, expressing a wish for his eternal salvation.
