His time had come, and he was ready [PK]

[KaiserJacobII 1048]

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

His time had come. He did not fear, nor fret. He did not regret, nor beg. He was ready. The illness came over him quickly and left him weak to the bone. The already ailing Cardinal was left with but a few short months to pray, forgive, and accept. A few short months to accept his own death.

 

He had a good life, following his calling. Francis joined the Church at eighteen and fell in love with the city of Providence. The sights, the sounds, the flock; he loved all of it. As Vicar of Providentia, he fought for Rosemoor. As Bishop of Rochefort, he sought to spread the word of GOD to the far corners of the world. As Archbishop of Albarosa, he sought peace between nations. And, although he did not have much time as Metropolitan, he still continued to spread GOD’s word.

 

His time had come, and he was ready.

 

 

 

From the Office of Cardinal Providentia:

Concerning the Death of His Eminence

 

Francis Cardinal Brown, Metropolitan of Providentia, Prelate to the Clergy

4th of Harren’s Folly, 1793 - 15th of Sigismund’s End, 1862

 

“Do Thou, O Lord, have mercy on our dearly departed, for the sake of us sinners all who greatly hope and trust in Thee. For Thy mercy can turn bittering weeping to joyous fanfare, for Thou alone judgeth the living and the dead.” 

 

It is with a heavy heart we must announce the passing of Francis Cardinal Providentia. The Cardinal passed peacefully at the age of sixty-nine, surrounded by friends and members of his flock. Cardinal Providentia spent his life serving the Orenian flock, and shall surely be missed by them. Over his half-century in the Clergy, he did his best to spread the word of GOD through Orenian streets. We ask the flock of Oren, and elsewhere to offer a prayer to the departed Cardinal.

 

TMR, His Eminence, Fr. Francis Cardinal Providentia

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Timer 1389]

Agustin wept for Francisco-Albarosa. He remembered his friend fondly, he felt honored to be the Cardinal's confessor. "If only I had spent more of my time with you, my friend" he'd remark amongst tears!

[Ramon 3877]

Tylos II wept as he received news of the passing of the Cardinal he had considered a good friend ever since having met him. He had been the very best of them, or so he thought to himself.

[Taketheshot 3834]

Joseph d'Azor stepped within the cathedral within Providence, empty as was usual during the trying times of late, the Archchancellor stepped down the aisle speaking to the alter. "This is your idea of irony is it?" He queried simply towards the cross. "The one man in the church to truly care for the people of Oren, the one to not view them as pawns in some larger game... A man who unlike his clergy brethren wished to see Orenians safe and prosperous." The Archchancellor raised a shaking fist towards the cross, his voice booming out over the darkness and silence. "GOD why must you take your servant so cruel! You allowed Yaromir the one who took your name in vain to live for so so long, but for this most holy of men you took him too quickly...." Joseph d'Azor lowered his head clutching at Lorraine around his neck. "Yet we know you have your plan GOD, I only hope this is a bigger part of such..." 

[wowj 2741]

"May de Flame Guide ju." The Hyspian Construct grumbled, tracing the lorianne in rememberance of the man.

[Guzr 2049]

Holy Sir Edwin frowns. It would seem all his friends would die in succession. He sighed, before offering a prayer.

[Balthasar 2058]

Father Adrian had barged into Cardinal Francis' office earlier the same day, he brought important news, only to learn from the elderly housekeeper that the Cardinal was deathly ill. The news had to wait.

 

Having made his way to the hospital, it was already too late. The Cardinal had passed to the Seven Heavens. Adrian had not known Francis well at all, only making his acquaintance when he was transferred to Providentia. Nonetheless, Francis was a good and virtuous man. Adrian paid his respects.

[JoshBright 2104]

Sir Jarad Munnel sat by the cardinals side during his last moments, it hurt. The Cardinal had been a friend of his, he was one of the first people Jarad had meet in his travels and time in Oren, it hurt. Often Jarad would seek the cardinal out for advice or just to talk, the cardinal his friend had always been nice to him, it hurt. Even when Jarad was rude to both the Cardinal and Philip II, the cardinal would just smile to him and give him his wisdom and advice. It hurt. Pain. Sadness, that's all Jarad felt whispering one final prayer to the cardinal before he ascended to the seven sky's, he didn't want the cardinal, his friend, his guide to leave. Time, he wanted more time, why not, why could he want be here longer, why was time to cruel, ticking away, tick tick tick. Jarad would collapse to the ground, tears washing over his face muttering under his breath "GOD, please.. please take this man into your loving arms, allow him peace and to rest, allow him warmth and happiness." he would struggle to get up, just  there crying, time ticked out, how long had past, one hour, two hours, three hours, it did not matter, time was cruel, however time could not erase the memory of the cardinal or everything he had done, the friend he had made, and the people he impacted, well the body is temporary, the memory is forever and with that Cardinal Francis would live on forever, in the minds of everyone he helped, everyone he impacted and in the seven sky's, watching over us all. The Cardinal of providence was dead, and it hurt him so. Jarad had lost a dear friend but the cardinal would live on forever...

[Burnsider 4542]

A Dove from the Skies stood on one of the spires of the Basilica of the Argentate Star, waiting for the passing of the Cardinal. As it happened, she unfurled her wings and sent a prayer to the sky, sending it along with his soul as he journeyed to the River. 

 

Cardinal Francis was a good man. Seemingly the only one to notice or care about a young 18-year-old girl's consistently bruised face. Such goodness deserved a high place in the skies. 

 

She began to sing. It was a hymn worshipping God and encouraging Man not to be afraid. Her voice carried across the wind, down to the people of New Providence. 

[MapleSunflower 1049]

Dr. Gendik sat in the basement of her home, the little clinic room she had set up didn't get as many patients as the public clinic. Often times, she was the patient. 

 

The doctor had arrived with medicine to give the dying priest to ease his pain, yet he refused. She respected his wishes, and yet... she felt like she was the one who needed it. So many had died, strangers, comrades, family alike.

 

The woman was only a few years younger than the Cardinal and yet she started to feel her age. Not in her bones nor greys nor wrinkles, but in the lives she had to witness end. Primrose had accepted she was no longer that 20-year-old naïve woman in Old Providence, but the losses of some of her oldest friends pained her. 

 

Prim let herself sit alone for some time before she rose from the cot and headed out of the home to the Basilica. She had many names to pray for, why not another? Another friend to meet when it was her time...

[JoanOfArc 4586]

Father Temesch of the Lectorate was never particularly fond of other priests - but meeting the good Cardinal and speaking with him some oft times proved the Cardinal to be a child of God. He prayed for the Cardinal's salvation, though he did not expect he needed to try hard. Father Temesch knew he would meet the man past the Moon in the Skies.

 

"Another holy man taken by you, Lord. Must I be the last priest in this world and teach others like the good Cardinal did?" Father Temesch quiered.

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 11529]

Venerable Father Paco welcomes the Cardinal in the Seven Skies, holding out a plate of fried mozerella sticks.

 

"Por favor hermano," Paco would explain. "I am stuffed. Ayudame wit dees."

[Eryane 3629]

Time is an inevitability;

 

Once Anastasia had said, muttering these words to the Duke of Cathalon who went on to pass merely days later. 

 

There were always several people in her life whom she felt were eternal that this echoed phrase did not apply itself to, could not apply itself to. Among these great men one particular cardinal remained. Such a goodness and light within her life could not simply be removed, nor would it by the grace of God Almighty. How could a creator be so cruel to put a time limit on people such as him? 

 

In the mirror was a reflection of a woman, donning an onyx dress that cascaded to the floor. A dark, shaded headdress kept her hair pinned back from sight. The empress turned away, and walked down the hallway that led to the gardens. Although there were courtiers, it felt alone. The two guiding lights of her life had now moved on. Her two moral compasses, her two pillars. She had wondered if Cardinal Albarosa - Cardinal Providentia then - had known the influence he had always maintained in her life. His words, if condemning, were like daggers to the heart. Yet rarely were they, and instead in the name of peace in humanity. 

 

He was a symbol of true Canonism. He was all that Anastasia had been lectured over in that nunnery years ago, when she was a little girl. She was the man Sister Galina told her was the definition of a Canonist. And always, she admired him for it. Rare was it to see such a good man in such a dark world. 

 

Still could Anastasia see the pain of having her removed from the Church again and again. Yet sometimes, only sometimes, he would let her stay for the funerals of the subjects of the empire. For those, he did not stop her. In the final days she had seen him, Cardinal Francis looked only to hold pain in his eyes. The pain of a world that could do easily be at peace, yet found ways to always be in conflict. 
 

Anastasia turned again, and moved into the palatial chapel where she fell to her knees. “Please be at peace now, please be at peace..”

[High_On_Math 398]

Luthriel walked around in the woods, alone, muttering to Godan, "All the good ones are dead.  All the good ones are dead.  How are we supposed to bring the goal to fruition?  All the good ones are dead."

 

Tears streamed down her cheeks.