Religion
Pope Francis: Tributes, mass and vigils held in towns and cities across Europe
In Italy, bells tolled in church towers and flags were lowered to half-staff on government buildings in Rome.
Vigils, tributes and special services of mass have been held across Europe as faithfuls mourn following the death of the late Pope Francis.
In Italy, bells tolled in church towers and flags were lowered to half-staff on government buildings in Rome.
In France, an Evening Mass was held at Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, during which worshippers paid homage to the pontiff during a prayer vigil.
Families attending the evening mass lit candles and placed them in front of a large photograph of the Pope.
The Notre Dame bells also rang out 88 times to mark the years in the Pope’s life, while the Eiffel Tower went dark in tribute to Francis.
In Madrid, mass was held at the Almudena Cathedral where some of those attending spoke of the late pontiff, who died earlier on Monday, and said he would be greatly missed and leave a lasting legacy.
“To us, the Pope represents a memory of love and inclusion. As young people, he marked a turning point in the Church. He was a pope we loved dearly and we will remember him with deep affection,” said Sara Ruiz, a teaching assistant in a local Catholic school.
Missionary nun, Miriam Blanco also spoke of Francis’ legacy, saying “it’s a very beautiful memory and the legacy that he leaves us as Holy Father – truth, his simplicity, his closeness, I think it has been very, very good and we are going to miss him a lot.”
Meanwhile, Vatican flags have been raised in Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria, where worshippers echoed similar sentiments.

A Requiem Mass is held for Pope Francis inside Westminster Cathedral, in London.AP Photo/Alastair Grant
In the small town of Szécsény in Hungary, local residents gathered near the Franciscan church and monastery.
“He was a simple, puritanical man who had tried to bring this to the church as well, rather with less success. Of course, today the pope has relatively little power and voice. Whatever he said, unfortunately, the world did not want to listen to him,” said Lajos Vámosi, a local resident of the town.
Mourners also gathered around the Catholic Cathedral in Zagreb, the Croatian capital, to pay their respects to the late Pope.
“I think one great man has left us. One great man of church, God and the people. This is hard for us. We feel very sorry. I believe he will pray for us from paradise, in the same way that he prayed for us on earth. He was working for everyone, poor or rich,” said Sister Antonija Grubisic, a catholic nun.
Catholics in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia lit candles in the city’s Cathedral, where Monsignor Rumen Stanev said Francis “had a profound affinity for those who are marginalised and abandoned.”
“Like Jesus in the Gospels, he walked among sinners, the outcast, and the weak.”
In the UK too, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, celebrated a Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral on Monday evening, in honour of Pope Francis.
Flags were also flown at half mast across the capital to mark the Pope’s death.
Religion
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Francis Spotted Ushering At Shiloh 2025 (Video)
A viral video captures Delta State Governor, Sheriff Francis carrying out ushering duries at the ongoing Shiloh 2025.
It would be recalled that Shiloh 2025 commenced on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, and will wrap up on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
In the video, which has sparked mixed reactions online, the governor is seen in a suit as he carries out ushering duties.
However, a young man in a suit is spotted behind him while the choir sings on.
Reactions Trailing Below……
Nna Aguwa remarked, “So people are still moved by this act ? So if i stand in as an usher i will automatically be a wonderful person . No be today them dey show us well dedicated usher and pastors wey be kingpins”.
Pamela kin, “So can’t he be an usher again what’s so special about him wey him no fit be conductor”.
Elder Ajayi, “The difference he could make as a governor matters most don’t forget Judas was a leading Apostle before he fell”.
David Gladys, “So waiting come happen ? He knows d benefits of serving God and that’s why he’s doing it I no see any big deal way make bloggers carry am way God dey bless am for his service in his presence”.
Politics
N1.4 Trillion not enough to get me into politics – Bishop Oyedepo reveals
The founder of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has said he will never take part in partisan politics, not for even billions of naira.
He stated that no amount of money, including “$1 billion,” (1.4 Trillion naira) would make him join politics.
Oyedepo made this known during an impartation service at Shiloh 2025 held at the church’s headquarters in Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State.
He explained that partisan politics is not part of his life’s calling and that is why he has chosen to stay away from it.
In his words: “In 2015, I warned the church that trouble was coming. Didn’t trouble come?
“Partisan politics is off my calling. If you give me $1 billion to join politics, I won’t, because it is off my course.”
The bishop also said the world is in urgent need of God’s intervention because of the times we are living in.
According to him, believers are being trained as an end-time army to bring solutions to national and global problems, similar to what biblical figures like Joseph and Daniel did.
Religion
Adeboye explains why he no longer employs female secretaries
General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has shed light on why he no longer employs female secretaries, linking the decision to his desire to avoid situations that could jeopardise his spiritual focus.
The 83-year-old spoke on the subject during his sermon titled “Jonah Must Go” on day two of the Holy Ghost Congress 2025 at the Redemption Camp, Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. The church uploaded the sermon on its YouTube page on Tuesday.
Adeboye recalled that he once had a female secretary while serving at Ebute Metta in Lagos State, but decided to dismiss her when he moved to the camp, believing the change was necessary for his spiritual discipline.
He said he made the choice because he wanted the “Jonah” in his life to depart.
Adeboye said: “From the moment I got to this campground, from the moment I got to a stage where at night I still have to work, I ceased to have a female secretary. Some people think it is gender discrimination. I know myself. I know who I was before Jesus saved my soul.
“I see the possibility of being left alone at night with the opposite sex. Oh, but if you are to get a secretary like the last one I had, she was a wonderful child of God.
“She was my secretary at Ebute Metta. Wonderful lady. True child of the living God. And when I arrived, I knew I would still be in the office at 3 a.m. And I could imagine, after a long day’s work, everybody finally sees the last visitor. And then my secretary comes at 2 a.m.
“’We are through now, sir. Is there any way I can help you? Like, you know, a cup of tea to relax?’ Jonah must go.”
He also shared examples involving two RCCG pastors whom he advised to dismiss their female secretaries. According to him, one pastor obeyed and later became “a great man of God,” while the other ignored the advice and eventually strayed.
“There is one of my sons here. A great man of God. When he started, his ministry was tiny. He came to me from the north. He said, ‘Daddy, I have a problem.’ I said, ‘What’s your problem?’ He said, ‘I always feel excited when it is Monday.’ ‘What’s the problem with that?’ He said, ‘Because I’ll be going to the office on Monday.’ I said, ‘Yeah, what’s the problem?’ He said, ‘The reason I feel excited about going to the office on Monday is that I want to see my secretary again.’
“He said, ‘What should I do? What’s wrong? What prayer?’ I said, ‘Prayer? As soon as you get home, sack her. Pay whatever you have to pay.’ He said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He got back to the office the following Monday. And told the girl, ‘Thank you very much. We’ll pay you this much for notice. But you, you cease to be my secretary from today.’ She erupted. Not that I blame her.
“I know where you are coming from. You’ve gone to visit that stupid man you call your father. My son says, ‘Call him stupid. Just go.’ Today, he is a great man of God. Why? Because Jonah had gone,” he said.
The cleric explained that the second pastor, who once led an RCCG church in the United States, was later relieved of his position after refusing to dismiss his secretary. The pastor eventually married the secretary and started his own ministry.
“I had another son, who was pastoring one of our big churches in America. And I had some things. So I brought him here. I told him, ‘Sack that secretary.’
“He said, ‘You’re joking, sir. We’re not talking about Nigeria. We’re talking about America.’ I said, ‘Is that so? Sack her.’ He said, ‘No way.’ Well, at the end of the day, we had to relieve him. The husband of the secretary was cross with me.
“Took a harsh decision. Only for him to discover. I think four out of the five children the woman had belonged to a former pastor. And it didn’t end there. It wasn’t long before the lady chased the pastor out. And became the owner of the pastor. God has mercy on pastors. Anything that can truncate your destiny.”
Addressing the congregation, Adeboye urged Christians to sever ties that do not aid their spiritual growth, adding that ending such relationships may also help the other party.
“When you look at the parable of Jonah. You may begin to say, ‘If I cut off this relationship. If I throw Jonah into the ocean…’ Leave the rest to God. The God of all flesh. Until they threw Jonah into the sea. He wasn’t going to where God wanted him to go. Leave the rest to the God of all flesh,” Adeboye said.
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