Overview

• Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik expressed deep condolences over Pope Francis's death, emphasizing the pontiff's lifelong commitment to the poor and underprivileged.
• Pope Francis was deeply connected to the Korean Peninsula, offering prayers for both South and North Korea and expressing willingness to visit the North to ease the suffering of separated families.
• Cardinal You described the pope's passing as a moment of 'calm peace' and a reflection of hope and resurrection, rather than sorrow or loneliness.
• As one of the cardinal electors, Cardinal You will participate in the upcoming conclave in the Sistine Chapel to select the next pope.
• Cardinal You, a key figure in Pope Francis’s 2014 visit to South Korea, was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy in 2021 and elevated to cardinal in 2022, marking significant milestones in Vatican leadership diversity.