The China Mail - Mourners flock to world's churches to grieve Pope Francis

- Philippines -

When Vincent Abrena checked his phone to find out that Francis had died on Easter Monday, the Catholic from the Philippines knew exactly what he needed to do.

"Right after work I immediately came here at the Manila cathedral... I will pray for him," the 38-year-old told AFPTV in the deeply Catholic island nation's capital. "I rushed to come here."

Shirley Amutan, 50, said she was hoping for another pope in Francis's mould.

"We're praying for his soul and hoping that the one who replaces him is the same or if not, can really better govern the Catholics."

- South Korea -

"My cousin has a disability, and the pope personally baptised him on the forehead like this," said Korean student Kang Ian, a stone's throw from Seoul Myeongdong Cathedral.

He brought his palm up to his forehead by way of demonstration.

"He and I had a bit of personal connection," the 19-year-old added.

- France -

"I'm an atheist... but I was touched because I found he was very much a pope who put forward interesting reforms," French businessman Guillaume Georget told AFPTV outside Paris's Notre Dame.

The French capital's iconic cathedral -- whose reopening following a devastating fire Francis famously snubbed -- was packed to the recently renovated rafters for the first of two special masses in his memory.

- DR Congo -

Francis's reputation as a hard-working pontiff who worked to help the world's worst-off likewise rang true to Madeleine Bomendje, who pointed to the pope's visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2023.

"I know that he was a man of integrity -- impartial, altruistic, who cared about others, who cared about us, especially our country," the self-described devout Catholic said, standing near the capital Kinshasa's Our Lady of Congo.

Fellow worshipper Justin Kambale agreed, pointing to Francis's tireless advocacy for peace -- including in the eastern DRC, where the government is locked in conflict with a Rwandan-backed armed group.

"When he spoke to the world, he never failed to mention the war in the DRC, the war in Sudan, the war in Palestine, the war in Ukraine -- he never stopped talking about that," Kambale said.

- India -

In India, the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata placed Francis's portrait next to that of the institution's founder, Mother Theresa, the candlewick burning down as the congregation sang in tribute.

"Pope Francis had a great admiration for Mother Teresa... as he himself was a great lover of the poor, as was Mother (Theresa).... So there was a bond of this love for the poor that connected them," said Thomas D'Souza, Archbishop of Calcutta.

"Those who are poor, migrants, refugees, people in any situation of disaster... his heart was there," D'Souza added.

- Spain -

"As an Argentine, I'm more on the side of those who weren't such fans of the pope," moving company representative Martin Guertner told AFPTV outside Madrid's Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of Almudena.

"I would hope the Vatican chooses a pope who maybe has a bit more respect for institutions than Francis did."

burs-afptv-sbk/rmb

D.Wang--ThChM