Taiwan has extended condolences to the Vatican, which is one of just a handful of governments that recognise Taiwan as a country. “Due to the profound friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican, in addition to sending officials of appropriate levels as special envoys to attend the Pope’s funeral, senior government officials will also attend the memorial mass held by the Vatican’s Embassy in Taiwan to express the deepest condolences of the Taiwanese people, Catholic believers, and the government,” Taiwan’s Ministry Of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “His humility and concern for all humanity, especially his active call for world peace, will always remain in the hearts of our people and government. In this moment of sorrow, our people, Catholics and the government mourn together.” Kenya’s president William Ruto has paid tribute on X: We join the Catholic Church and the global Christian community in mourning the passing of Pope Francis. This is a big loss to the Catholic faithful and the Christian world. Pope Francis will be remembered for a life dedicated to serving the Lord, the Church, and humanity. He exemplified servant leadership through his humility, his unwavering commitment to inclusivity and justice, and his deep compassion for the poor and the vulnerable. His strong ethical and moral convictions inspired millions across the world, regardless of faith or background. May his soul Rest in Eternal Peace. The White House X account has posted: Rest in Peace, Pope Francis. The post is accompanied by photographs of President Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance with Pope Francis. Tony Blair said Pope Francis was admired “for his humility, compassion and unwavering commitment to the Christian faith”. The former UK prime minister, who converted to Catholicism after leaving office, said: Pope Francis was an extraordinary and devoted servant of the Catholic Church, admired both within and beyond it for his humility, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the Christian faith and the service of all humanity-Christian and non-Christian alike. Cherie and I are deeply saddened by his passing. May he rest in peace. Former archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has paid tribute to Pope Francis as someone who became a friend, adding that he will “miss him deeply”, PA Media reports. Welby said: It is with a deep sense of personal sadness that I mourn the death of my friend, His Holiness Pope Francis. With our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters - along with the global Church and many more around the world - I’m filled with a great sense of loss. He was a Pope who spoke not just to the Catholic church, but far beyond it. His leadership was felt powerfully among us in the Anglican Communion. From the very first days of his papacy he was an example of humility. He constantly reminded us of the importance of serving the poor, always standing with those who faced persecution and hardship. During my time as Archbishop of Canterbury, it was a great privilege to work with him in peacebuilding, not least in South Sudan. Over the years he became a friend and I will miss him deeply. For his commitment to walking together as Roman Catholics and Anglicans, and for his vision and passion for working for ever greater reconciliation and unity between all Christian denominations, I am profoundly grateful. I give thanks to God for the life of this faithful servant of Christ. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said with the death of Pope Francis, “the Catholic Church and the world lose an advocate for the weak, a reconciling and a warm-hearted person”. “I greatly appreciated his clear view of the challenges we face,” the outgoing leader said on X. “My sympathies go out to the religious community worldwide.” Polish President Andrzej Duda said the pope was a great apostle of Mercy, in whom he saw the answer to the challenges of the modern world. In a post on X, Duda said: In his pastoral ministry, he was guided by humility and simplicity. Friedrich Merz, expected to be sworn in as German chancellor next month, expressed his “great sadness” at the pope’s death. “Francis will be remembered for his tireless engagement for the weakest in society, for justice and reconciliation,” Merz posted on X. “Humility and the belief in God’s mercy guided him.” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the world had “lost a shining beacon of hope”. “His modesty, his spontaneity and his humour, but above all his tangibly deep faith touched people all over the world - and gave them support, strength and orientation,” Steinmeier said in an emailed statement. “For so many people, Francis was a credible witness to the Christian message, for whom the lived practice of faith was particularly important. From the very first days of his ministry as Bishop of Rome, he made it clear that the poor and marginalised, the displaced and refugees could be sure of his special attention, his special care and even his special love. Many who felt forgotten felt heard, seen and understood by him, the pope.” A statement from Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis, said: Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER), has conveyed the CER’s deep sorrow to the Holy See on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt remembers Pope Francis’s unwavering dedication to promoting peace and goodwill worldwide. He also fondly recalls his many meetings with the Pope and his efforts to strengthen Catholic-Jewish relations, including their meeting at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the 1965 Declaration of the Second Vatican Council that profoundly transformed interfaith dialogue. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said news of Pope Francis’ death was cause for great sadness because of the departure of “a great man, a great shepherd”, Reuters reports. In a statement, Meloni said: I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased not even during times of trial and suffering. We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness. The Archbishop of York has paid tribute to Pope Francis as “holy man of God” who was “also very human”, PA News reports. In a statement on X, Stephen Cottrell said: Francis’s whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus who comes among us not to be served, but to serve. We saw that compellingly in Francis’s service of the poor his love of neighbour, especially the displaced, migrant; the asylum seeker, his deep compassion for the well-being of the earth and his desire to lead and build the church in new ways. Acknowledging the pontiff’s efforts in working alongside the Church of England despite “division” with the Catholic Church, Mr Cottrell recalled Pope Francis’ historic trip to South Sudan in 2023 alongside former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Reverend Dr Iain Greenshields. “Pope Francis was acutely aware of the divisions between our churches and how they stand in the way of seeing Jesus Christ more fully,” said Mr Cottrell. He added: I remember, in the brief times spent with him, how this holy man of God, was also very human. He was witty, lively, good to be with, and the warmth of his personality and interest in others shone out from him. Pope Francis adopted a markedly less formal tone than previous popes and became known for his ability to connect with members of the public, as well as for his humility, having shunned some of the more regal trappings of high office. Here is a selection of photographs of the pontiff since 2013 – when Time magazine selected him as its person of the year after the Argentine became the first Latin American person elected to head the Roman Catholic Church: US Vice President JD Vance has posted a tribute on X: I just leaned [sic] of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul. https://vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20200327_omelia-epidemia.html French President Emmanuel Macron said that throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis had always sided with the most vulnerable and the most fragile, and that he did this with a lot of humility. “In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile,” Macron told reporters. He thanked the Pope for his various visits to France, including his trip to Corsica in December. Macron expressed his condolences “to Catholics across the world”, saying “great pain” would be felt in France and internationally. Pope Francis was a man of deep faith, peace and compassion who fostered ties with the Jewish world, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog said. In a statement on X, he described Pope Francis as: A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world. I truly hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages (in Gaza) will soon be answered. Pope Francis was in every way a man of the people, Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof said in a statement on X. Schoof said: The global Catholic community bids farewell to a leader who recognised the burning issues of our day and called attention to them. With his sober way of life, acts of service and compassion, Pope Francis was a role model for many - Catholics and non-Catholics alike. We remember him with great respect. Tributes have been made to the Pope, the New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon, posted on X: I am saddened to hear of the passing of Pope Francis. A man of humility, his legacy includes an unwavering commitment to the vulnerable, to social justice and to interfaith dialogue. My thoughts are with Catholics and all those in New Zealand and around the world who mourn his death. Yesterday Pope Francis appeared at the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square. The Pope, 88, came out in a wheelchair and waved from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica saying to the crowds: “Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter.” However, his Easter address was delivered by a clergy member. The Pope was then driven around the square. Last month, Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital after five weeks of treatment for double pneumonia. Vatican News has posted a statement from the Vatican on X: At 9.45am local time on Easter Monday, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, spoke these words at the Casa Santa Marta: Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God. Tributes are being paid to Pope Francis after the confirmation of his death by the Vatican. He was aged 88. Pope Francis died Monday morning, Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Farrell said in the announcement. “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised. “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Triune.″ Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on 14 February for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy. Pope Francis marked Easter Sunday by blessing thousands of people who had gathered for mass in St Peter’s Square and then embarking on a surprise popemobile tour around the piazza on Sunday. The 88-year-old pontiff did not celebrate mass in the square, delegating the service instead to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St Peter’s Basilica. Francis was diagnosed with bronchitis in early February, but had continued to hold daily audiences in his Vatican hotel suite, and even presided at an outdoor Mass on Sunday 9 February. But he had handed over his speeches for an aide to read aloud, saying he was having trouble breathing. Francis, who had part of one lung removed at age 21, had long battled health problems, especially bouts of acute bronchitis in winter and had used a wheelchair, walker or cane when moving around his apartment. The Pope was especially prone to lung infections due to developing pleurisy – an inflammation of the thin outer covering of the lung – as an adult.
Author: Jane Clinton