Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua says the late Pope Francis was a beacon of peace and humility.
The minister, who is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, says Pope Francis was a shepherd who led with humility, compassion, and conviction.
Tikoduadua says the Pope was always reminding the world of the enduring call to love, to serve, and to uplift the least among us.
Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua.
He says Pope Francis was a light in a world often dimmed by division and despair.
Tikoduadua says his witness to the Gospel challenged the faithful to not just be better Catholics, but to also be better human beings.
The minister says he will remember the Pope for his courage, his tenderness, and the quiet strength with which he bore the burdens of his office.
The head of the Catholic Church died at 88 after serving at the helm of the church since 2013.
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