Nelson Mandela valdes till president 1994. Johannes Paulus II hade då varit påve i 15 år. De två ledarna möttes 1995 i samband med påvens Sydafrika-resa. Mandela välkomnade Johannes Paulus II på flygplatsen och kallade honom ”min broder”. 1998 besökte reste Mandela till Vatikanen och träffade påven en andra gång.

Påve Franciskus har skickat ett telegram till Sydafrikas president med kondoleanser i samband med Nelson Mandelas död. Hela texten här:

TO HIS EXCELLENCY MR JACOB ZUMA
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
PRETORIA

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”IT WAS WITH SADNESS THAT I LEARNED OF THE DEATH OF FORMER PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA, AND I SEND PRAYERFUL CONDOLENCES TO ALL THE MANDELA FAMILY, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA. IN COMMENDING THE SOUL OF THE DECEASED TO THE INFINITE MERCY OF ALMIGHTY GOD, I ASK THE LORD TO CONSOLE AND STRENGTHEN ALL WHO MOURN HIS LOSS. PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE STEADFAST COMMITMENT SHOWN BY NELSON MANDELA IN PROMOTING THE HUMAN DIGNITY OF ALL THE NATION’S CITIZENS AND IN FORGING A NEW SOUTH AFRICA BUILT ON THE FIRM FOUNDATIONS OF NON-VIOLENCE, RECONCILIATION AND TRUTH, I PRAY THAT THE LATE PRESIDENT’S EXAMPLE WILL INSPIRE GENERATIONS OF SOUTH AFRICANS TO PUT JUSTICE AND THE COMMON GOOD AT THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS. WITH THESE SENTIMENTS, I INVOKE UPON ALL THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA DIVINE GIFTS OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.”