Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88, said the Vatican.
His death on Monday came shortly after a double pneumonia which kept her hospitalized for five weeks at the Gemelli University Hospital in Rome.
Just one earlierThe pontiff did what would be his last major appearance as He welcomed thousands of Easter worshipers from a Potemobile open to Saint-Pierre and delivered a blessing through an assistant.
The death of the 266th Pope aroused tributes from around the world:
Italy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni cried the loss of “a great man, a great shepherd” and expressed deep sadness.
“I had the privilege of taking advantage of his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never stopped, not even in times of trial and suffering,” she said. “We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness.”
Italian football authorities have postponed the matches scheduled for Monday.
Argentina
The presidency office said that he deeply “regretted” the death of the first Argentine chief of the Catholic Church. The president of the chainsaw Javier Milei, who previously faced the pope, congratulated Francis accent on interreligious dialogue, the encouragement of spirituality among young people and focus on reducing costs to the Vatican.
European Union
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that Francis’s life was defined by his efforts to build a fairer and more peaceful world. “He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and his love so pure for the less lucky,” she said.
UNITED STATES
The White House shared a tribute on social networks, writing “Rest in Peace, Pope François” alongside a photo of the president of the Pope, President Donald Trump and the First Lady. Vice-president JD Vance, who met the Pope on Sunday, said; “My heart goes to millions of Christians around the world who loved him.”
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his “sincere condolences”, praising Francis’ efforts to strengthen the links between the Russian and Catholic Orthodox churches. Moscow’s patriarchy echoed the feeling, affirming that the late pontiff had played a key role in the progress of the dialogue between the two branches of Christianity.
India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Pope Francis will always remain in memories as a compassion, humility and spiritual courage in the world around the world. He used the poor and oppressed with diligence. For those who suffered, he lit a spirit of hope. “
France
French president Emmanuel Macron congratulated the pontiff for his sustainable solidarity with the most vulnerable of society. “In this period of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile,” said Macron, congratulating his humility.
Philippines
In the Philippines, who owns the largest Catholic population in Asia, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr called Francis as “the best pope in my lifetime”, praising his humility, his faith and his compassion for the poor. Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David expressed his shock and urged churches to ring the bells and call people to prayer for the “eternal rest” of the Pope.
Poland
Polish President Andrzej Duda praised Francis as “a great apostle of mercy”, saying that the example of the pontiff offered answers to contemporary challenges. “In his pastoral ministry, he was guided by humility and simplicity.”
Spain
Spain said three days of mourning. The Minister of Justice, Felix Bolanos, said in a television address that the country regrets “the death of a good man and a great pope” and praised the “reformist” papacy of Francis who “will leave a legacy for history”.
Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that Francis would be cried by Australians from all confessions, describing him as “a devoted champion and a loving father” to Catholics. “His compassion has embraced all humanity,” Albanese told ABC News. “He urged us to hear the cry of the earth and to remember everything we share.”
Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the Pope’s death was a loss not only for Catholics but for humanity. “Let his soul rest in eternal peace, and that his inheritance of compassion, humility and service to humanity continues to inspire the generations to come,” he said.
East Timor
President Jose Ramos-Horta described Francis’s death as a world loss. He announced that the country’s flags would be lowered to half of the staff for a week with a mass to follow in tribute to the life and service of the Pope.
Egypt
The Orthodox Church Coptic of Egypt cried Pope Francis qualifying him as “a true example of Christian humility”.
Germany
Friedrich Merz, the Chancellor in German pending, said that Francis would be known for his unshakable commitment to the marginalized. “He was guided by humility and faith in the mercy of God,” wrote Merz on X.
Iran
The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recognized Francis’ global spiritual influence. The spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that Iran “exercises condolences to all Christians around the world”.
Tibet
The Dalai Lama offered Buddhist prayers and writing to the papal envoy to “express his sadness” on death. “Pope Francis has devoted himself to the service of others … constantly revealing by his own actions how to live a simple but significant life,” the Buddhist chief said in a press release from his base in exile in India. “The best tribute we can pay to him is to be a warm person, serving others everywhere and in any way.”
United Kingdom
King Charles said he was “the most deeply saddened”, praising Pope Francis’ “compassion”, commitment to unity and the environment. Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed condolences, saying that “tireless efforts from Francis to promote a world that is fairer for everyone” would remain in the memories.
