"Pope Francis changed, above all, the church, but also the relations between the church and the world. He managed to draw the world's attention to the church".
This was what our former ambassador to the Vatican Bogdan Patashev told NOVA.
He was the pope of forgiveness and peace, Patashev also said, adding that one of the pope's favorite expressions "field hospital" speaks of an active, living church that works on the "battlefield".
The former ambassador noted that Francis is one of a series of popes who are fighting to modernize the church. He recalled that before him, Benedict stepped down so that a younger person could respond to the pace of modernity.
Patashev emphasized that a very difficult choice of a person to continue the opening is ahead.