Thousands Gather To Mourn Pope Francis In NJ, Including Potential Successor (VIDEO)

NEWARK, NJ — Nearly 2,000 people gathered for a memorial Mass earlier this week in Newark to honor the life and legacy of Pope Francis.

Held a day after Francis’ death, the liturgy was led by Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the Archbishop of Newark – who is a potential successor to the late pontiff.

In his homily, Tobin shared his memories of the late pope, revealing that Francis would affectionately refer to the cardinal as “el gigante” (“the giant” in Spanish). Tobin also reflected on Pope Francis’ years advocating for the dignity of all humans, especially “the poor and the despised.”

>> Read More: 'Legacy Of Love, Mercy And Service': New Jersey Reacts To The Death Of Pope Francis

“The church and people of goodwill will benefit from what Francis harvested in a lifetime of listening in the garden of silence and trust,” said Tobin, who was made a cardinal and appointed archbishop of Newark by Francis.

Francis died at the age of 88 following a stroke on Easter Monday. His funeral will be held on April 26 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, after which his body will be entombed in Rome’s Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. At a yet-to-be-determined time, 135 of the world’s cardinals will converge for a conclave to select a new pope.

Tobin will be one of these electors, the archdiocese said.

The cardinal is head of the Archdiocese of Newark, which includes about 1.3 million Catholic residents of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties. The archdiocese includes 211 parishes and 67 Catholic schools.

Tobin – who could be a potential papal successor himself – would be an unlikely choice to replace Francis. But he is among the leading U.S. candidates, multiple news outlets reported this week.

Watch video footage from the April 22 Mass below, or view it online here.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.