Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter paid heartfelt tribute to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday. In a message shared on the social media platform X, she described him as

“a great spiritual leader,” whose warmth and humanity touched people far beyond the Catholic community.

Shortly after news of the Pope’s death broke, Keller-Sutter noted that his compassion and presence had offered solace not only to Catholics but to many around the world.

St. Gallen Bishop Markus Büchel also expressed his profound sorrow at the Pope’s passing. In an official statement, he called Pope Francis “a truly great man,” highlighting his deep care for the most vulnerable in society.

Bishop Büchel praised the late pontiff’s unwavering commitment to the marginalized, recalling especially his 2013 visit to refugees in Lampedusa. That visit, he said, symbolized Pope Francis’s enduring message of solidarity with those on the edges of society. Photo by Long Thiên, Wikimedia commons.