Pope’s Death Raising Eternity Questions

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

VATICAN CITY (Worthy News) – U.S. Evangelist Franklin Graham, who met Pope Francis last year, says the pontiff’s death has raised questions about where he and others will spend eternity.

“With the passing of the pope, many people may question where they will spend eternity. The truth is, religion cannot save you,” Graham stressed in a statement on social media.

“Attending church can’t save you. Salvation is not something you can earn, buy, or inherit. It is a free gift of God for those who put their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is a decision that every person has to make for themselves,” he added.

His remarks came after the body of the late Pope Francis was transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Wednesday to lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning.

With tens of thousands of people already gathering in the area, the Vatican did not rule out extending hours “for the faithful who wish to pay their respects to the late Pope” which had been scheduled

Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight; on Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to midnight; and on Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. “

In the weeks before his death, Pope Francis clarified that people should remember him as a pastor serving Christ.

CONSOLING CERTAINTY

Jesus,” Francis wrote, “gives us a consoling certainty: death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of something. It is a new beginning…because eternal life, which those who love already begin to experience on earth within the daily tasks of life — is beginning something that will never end.”

And, “It is precisely for this reason that it is a “new” beginning because we will live something we have never fully lived before: eternity,” he added.

Graham suggested that following Pope Francis’s death at age 88, it is crucial to remember that only faith in Jesus Christ is the way to Heaven.

“There aren’t many ways to Heaven, there is only one—by repenting of our sins and believing on Jesus Christ. Jesus came to this earth to save us from our sins. He shed His blood on a cross, died, was buried, and God raised Him to life on the third day. He’s alive today, and the Bible tells us one day He will return,” Graham stressed.

“Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’,” the evangelist added referring to John 14:6.

Franklin Graham, son of the legendary late Evangelist Billy Graham, stressed that “Every person has a soul that will live forever-either in the presence of God, or separated from God in a place the Bible calls Hell. Where you spend eternity depends on whether you have put your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Pope, pastor, politician, or peasant- the way to God is the same.”

Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

More Worthy News

US-Europe Frictions Over Ending War In Ukraine
US-Europe Frictions Over Ending War In Ukraine
Thursday, December 11, 2025

Growing frictions between the United States and its European allies emerged Thursday after tense conversations over how to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two, the ongoing war in Ukraine.

EU Warns Of Rising Listeria Threat As Aging Population And Changing Diets Drive Infections
EU Warns Of Rising Listeria Threat As Aging Population And Changing Diets Drive Infections
Thursday, December 11, 2025

European Union health authorities have warned that “changing diets and an aging population” may contribute to a rise in serious and sometimes deadly Listeria infections across the continent.

Trump Says Gaza “Board of Peace” Membership to Be Announced Early 2026 as Global Leaders Seek Seats
Trump Says Gaza “Board of Peace” Membership to Be Announced Early 2026 as Global Leaders Seek Seats
Wednesday, December 10, 2025

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the long-anticipated announcement of the Gaza “Board of Peace” will take place early next year, marking a delay from earlier expectations that the rollout would occur before Christmas.

Deadly Thailand–Cambodia Border Clashes Reignite As Thousands Flee Fighting
Deadly Thailand–Cambodia Border Clashes Reignite As Thousands Flee Fighting
Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Thailand and Cambodia rushed reinforcements to their shared frontier Wednesday as artillery exchanges and air strikes shattered a fragile ceasefire, forcing thousands of residents on both sides of the border to flee. The crisis raised fears of a widening conflict in one of Southeast Asia’s most volatile regions and impacted churches.

Trump-Style Billionaire Andrej Babiš Returns To Power As Czech Republic Faces EU Scrutiny And Atheism (Worthy News In-Depth)
Trump-Style Billionaire Andrej Babiš Returns To Power As Czech Republic Faces EU Scrutiny And Atheism (Worthy News In-Depth)
Wednesday, December 10, 2025

The Czech Republic, regarded as one of Europe’s most atheist nations, was preparing for a new government Wednesday after a Trump-style billionaire was appointed as its new prime minister amid ongoing scrutiny from the European Union.

U.S. Seizes Sanctioned Tanker Moving Venezuelan and Iranian Oil, Triggering Sharp Rise in Tensions
U.S. Seizes Sanctioned Tanker Moving Venezuelan and Iranian Oil, Triggering Sharp Rise in Tensions
Wednesday, December 10, 2025

The United States has seized a large crude tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from both Venezuela and Iran, a dramatic enforcement action that immediately raised oil prices and heightened tensions with the Maduro regime.

Federal Reserve Delivers Third Consecutive Rate Cut Amid Deep Internal Divisions
Federal Reserve Delivers Third Consecutive Rate Cut Amid Deep Internal Divisions
Wednesday, December 10, 2025

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved its third consecutive interest rate cut, lowering the benchmark federal-funds rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, the lowest level since early 2022. But the decision—passed in a 9–3 vote, the most divided in six years—exposed unusually sharp disagreements over the path forward as policymakers wrestle with a slowing labor market and stubborn inflation.