Reported by Royal Denmark Magazine
April 22, 2025 – Vatican City
(Royal Denmark Correspondents: Peng Zhongmin; Special Reporters: Wang Zhanyuan, Liao Ziqi) — On the morning of Monday, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away peacefully in the Vatican at the age of 88.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a family of Italian descent. He was fluent in Latin, Spanish, Italian, and German. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1958 and was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1997. In 2001, he was elevated to the rank of Cardinal by then-Pope John Paul II.
On March 13, 2013, during the fifth round of the papal conclave, he was elected as the new Pope, becoming the first Pope in history from Latin America, the Southern Hemisphere, and the Jesuit order. He was also the first non-European Pope since Gregory III in 1282.
Three Encounters – A Personal Account by Royal Denmark Reporter Peng Zhongmin
Royal Denmark journalist Peng Zhongmin had the rare honor of being received by Pope Francis on three separate occasions. During their first meeting, he took a close-up portrait of the Pope and later produced it as a 3D postcard, which was widely distributed among EU member states.
The third meeting took place in September 2015, during Pope Francis’s visit to the United Nations headquarters. After delivering a significant speech at the UN General Assembly, the Pope warmly greeted Mr. Peng Zhongmin.
Pope Francis’s Speech at the United Nations General Assembly
Date: Friday, September 25, 2015
Location: United Nations Headquarters, New York
Excerpt from the original speech:
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Greetings to you all!
I am deeply honored to once again be invited by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to speak before this esteemed General Assembly. On behalf of myself and all members of the Catholic Church, I extend my sincerest gratitude to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
At the same time, I also offer my heartfelt greetings to the heads of state, government leaders, diplomats, technical staff, and all the personnel and agency members participating in this 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Photography: Royal Denmark Photographer, Peng Zhongmin ©
Editors: Wang Yingyu, Li Shunping, Zhao Jingshuo
