What you need to know
New Yorkers champion Pope’s values
Mourners in New York contrasted the Argentinian pontiff with the government of President Trump.
At St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, hundreds of Catholics gathered in mourning, including a worshipper who gave the name Peter, who said that “we lost a very good man” whose values were entirely at odds with those of Trump.
Francis “cared about [people] most of us forget about — the poor, the downtrodden, the forgotten — and the healing power of forgiveness”, the 70-year-old man said.
“We have a president and an administration that’s turning the country in a direction that is in complete contradiction of the values that this pope espoused.”
Cathy Colecchi, a New York resident, wept openly, describing Francis as “the pope for everyone”.
“I really haven’t attended a Mass for a very, very long time. I surprisingly find myself today … very, very sad,” she said.
Francis offered his suffering as a prayer for peace
In his will, the Pope wrote about his recent ill-health and prayed for his well-wishers.
“May the Lord grant a fitting reward to all those who have wished me well and who continue to pray for me,” he wrote.
“The suffering that has marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and for fraternity among peoples.”
Funeral to take place by end of week
The day Francis will be buried is yet to be decided. His funeral at the Vatican must take place between four and six days after his death, meaning it will be held on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
A procession will then likely cross the River Tiber from the Vatican carrying the coffin to Santa Maria Maggiore, which is one of four papal basilicas in Rome and is close to the main train station.
Nine days of official mourning, known as Novendiali, must then elapse before the cardinals gather to start their conclave to pick Francis’s successor.
Pope’s resting place near historic icon
Francis’s tomb will be close to the famed icon of the Virgin with the child Jesus in Santa Maria Maggiore, which is said to have helped to save Rome from the plague in AD593, when Pope Gregory I paraded it around the city.
The icon was also credited with protecting the capital from destruction at the hands of the Nazis in 1944. Pope Francis prayed beside it in 2020 at the height of the Covid crisis in Italy.
Santa Maria Maggiore, which translates as St Mary Major, has a holy door which has been opened during the Vatican’s Jubilee this year, offering pilgrims who pass through a reduced time in purgatory.
Since the 4th century, popes have lavished funds on the church. It has a chapel designed by Michelangelo, a ceiling covered in gold brought from the Americas by Christopher Columbus and a crypt said to contain wood from Jesus’s manger.
First pope in centuries to be buried in church
Seven popes have been buried at Santa Maria Maggiore but none since Clement IX in 1669.
“The place is already prepared,” Francis told an interviewer in 2023, explaining that he had a “very deep bond” with the Virgin Mary and had promised her he would be buried there.
His dedication to the mother of Christ was so strong that Francis visited the church 125 times during his papacy, once immediately after his election in 2013 and then again before and after every foreign trip, bringing flowers each time.
After his long hospitalisation in February and March, the church was his first stop and he visited a second time before his death on Monday.
Pope described burial as his only wish
In his will, released on Monday, Pope Francis said his only wish in death was to be entombed at the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which sits atop Rome’s Esquiline Hill.
“I always entrusted my life and priestly and episcopal ministry to the mother of our Lord, Holy Mary,” he wrote. “Therefore I ask that my earthly remains rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore [St Mary Major], waiting for the day of resurrection.”
He added: “The tomb must be in the ground and simple without any particular decoration and with one inscription: Franciscus.”
In the will, Francis stated that a “benefactor” had already paid for the burial in the church.
Francis to be buried in Rome
The Pope asked to be buried “in the ground, without particular decoration” but with the inscription “Franciscus”, the Vatican has said.
He will not be buried in the Vatican but the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, a favourite of the pontiff’s.
Clement IX, who died in 1669, and Nicholas IV, who died in 1292, are among the popes who have been laid to rest at the church.
Pope suffered coma and died from stroke
The Vatican said in a statement on Monday evening that the Pope died of a stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure.
It added that the death was confirmed with an echocardiogram.
The Vatican doctor, Andrea Arcangeli, wrote on the death certificate that Francis had fallen into a coma before his death early that morning.
Francis’s true passion was for peace
By AN Wilson
In Hope, the recent book billed as an autobiography which was in fact a series of interviews with the Italian publisher Carlo Musso, Pope Francis came over as unafraid of a fight.
Conflict was natural to him. Half of his family were indigenous Argentinian, the other half first-generation poor Italians. His recollections were of large family dinners, with thirty people sitting down together, feasts often ending in fisticuffs. His parents were always rowing.
How could Jorge Bergoglio solve the vast problems facing the church? From a South American perspective, the problem was chiefly seen as the defection of hundreds of thousands of Catholics to Pentecostal and evangelical congregations, who in Argentina, Brazil and throughout Central and South America crowded into warehouses and cinemas for “happy clappy” services, rather than going to Mass.
• Read in full: Liberal ‘new broom’ showed true passion
Westminster Cathedral in pictures
More than 1,000 people attended the Requiem Mass in central London on Monday evening.
French pilgrims honour Pope’s last Mass
Pilgrims in the French town of Lourdes said the Pope had chosen to die on such a momentous day in the calendar, Easter Monday.
“It’s a symbol that shows that something happens. When people say they can’t choose the day they die, they’re wrong,” Stephanie Vergano, a 43-year-old woman from Bordeaux, said.
“He did choose the day of his death,” she said, referring to the day that the faithful commemorate Jesus’s resurrection.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is visited by millions of pilgrims every year, some in the hope of a miraculous cure.
“He fulfilled his calling until the end. He was able to participate in Easter Mass before leaving,” Sebastien Louvet, Vergano’s partner, said outside the grotto where, according to Catholic tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in 1858 to the peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous.
Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral
More than 1,000 people filled Westminster Cathedral early on Monday evening for a Requiem Mass led by the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
It was preceded by Vespers for the dead, a reading of prayers to mark the Pope’s passing.
The cathedral has been the focal point for Catholic mourners; a number of Muslim clerics also attended the service to pay their respects.
Nichols said during his homily: “Today a voice has fallen silent, a voice heard in every corner of the world, a voice of warm encouragement and sharp challenge, expressing both love of God and a love of our shared humanity.
“It is silent, for a more authoritative voice has spoken — that of his Heavenly Father, calling him home.”
Francis let us down, Ukrainians say
Catholics in the city of Lviv expressed sorrow at the death of the Pope but also lingering hurt that he had not taken Ukraine’s side in its war with Russia.
Francis told a Swiss broadcaster last year that Ukraine should have had “the courage of the white flag” and sue for peace to end the conflict.
The comments differed sharply from the view held by the government of Ukraine, whose population was about 10 per cent Catholic.
“There were certain subjective judgments from his side, unfortunately,” Andriy Ben, a former Ukrainian military serviceman, said outside a church.
“I hope that the next pope will be wiser, more enlightened, and better.”
Oleh Yakymiak said the pontiff did much in his life that was good, adding: “We understand that the good things he did are so much bigger than the painful thing he did to us.”
East Timor announces week of mourning
The majority-Catholic East Timor will observe a week of mourning to honour Pope Francis, President Ramos-Horta said.
“In this moment of grief, Timor-Leste declares one week of national mourning with flags at half-mast from April 22,” he said in a statement, using the country’s Portuguese name.
Half the population turned out for Mass during Francis’s visit to the country last September.
Christians in Gaza: ‘He never stopped calling for peace’
Palestinian Christians in Gaza on Monday mourned the death of the Pope, with some claiming he had given them “hope with his messages and prayers”.
“We felt we were alive because of his prayers and blessings,” Elias al-Sayegh, from Zeitoun in Gaza City, told the AFP news agency. “Every day he renewed our hope for an end to the war and the bloodshed. His prayers will remain with us — for peace in the land of peace, Palestine.”
George Ayad, from the Al-Sahaba area, said: “Though the Vatican is far away, his voice always reached our hearts. He never ceased calling for peace and justice.”
He added: “The Pope never forgot Gaza in his prayers and today we offer ours for his soul.”
Ibrahim al-Tarazi, from the Al-Rimal area, called his death “a heartbreaking and shocking piece of news for all Christians in Gaza and Palestine”.
American flags at half-mast
President Trump said he had ordered all White House flags to be flown at half-mast in honour of the Pope.
He said the order would include flags “on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations and on all naval vessels of the federal government”.
“He was a good man and he worked hard and loved the world,” Trump said at the annual Easter Egg Roll event, one of the White House’s oldest traditions, dating back to 1878.
Yorkshireman could succeed Francis
England currently has a record four cardinals, of whom three will have a vote in choosing the next pope.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who appeared to rule himself out from the job, has said that the candidate would need “great inner strength and inner peace”.
Cardinal Arthur Roche, 75, from West Yorkshire, has been prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments since 2021 and is seen as a potential outsider candidate.
Irish-born cleric to oversee election
Many of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics may have never heard of him, but after the death of Francis, Cardinal Kevin Farrell’s name will be known across the globe.
Farrell, 77, from Drimnagh in south Dublin, is one of the most important men in the Catholic Church, and now it is his job as camerlengo to take temporary charge of the Vatican City.
There’s also a slim but real chance that he might be chosen as Ireland’s first pope by his fellow cardinals. In the past, two camerlengos have been elected pope: Gioacchino Pecci, as Pope Leo XIII in 1878, and Eugenio Pacelli, as Pope Pius XII in 1939.
• Read in full: Cardinal Farrel to oversee election of next Pope
Two English cardinals rule themselves out
Two of the most senior Roman Catholic clergymen in England appeared to rule themselves out of becoming the next pope.
At a press conference in London on Monday, Timothy Radcliffe and Vincent Nichols were asked about the possibility that they might be elected.
Radcliffe, 79, said: “I believe the Holy Spirit is far too wise to even think of me for the shortest moment.”
Nichols, 79, the Archbishop of Westminster, said he was “too old, not capable”. He added: “I’ll go quite peacefully.”
British ambassador: Pope built bridges of hope
It may be the smallest country in the world but nations still send diplomats to the Holy See. The British ambassador, Chris Trott, said he was “saddened and shocked” to hear of the death.
“He was the Pope from ‘the ends of the Earth’ who worked tirelessly to build bridges of hope, dialogue and peace,” he said. “His legacy will continue to endure.”
Joe Donnelly, who served as the US ambassador under President Biden, told Times Radio: “We spent time together. We laughed together. And so I have a deep sadness at the loss of my friend. But at the same time, his life has been an example to all of us of how to take care of others, how to treat others.
“He laughed a lot. He loved to laugh, probably because of all the burdens he had, it helped him a little bit.”
Vatican announces public prayer
The Vatican has announced that a public prayer for the Pope will be held at 5.30pm in St Peter’s Square, led by a senior cardinal.
Watch: World mourns after Pope’s death
Londoners pay respects to Pope at Westminster Cathedral
A smiling image of Pope Francis, flanked by two tall candles amid a bed of flowers, stands in the open doorway of the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral in Victoria, London, with people stopping to pay their respects.
On a sign to one side is a prayer “for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis”, adding: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.” A special Requiem Mass is due to take place at 5.30pm on Monday.
In pictures: Pope Francis’s life
See the full gallery here: Pope Francis’s life in pictures
Notre Dame bells toll in tribute to Pope
The bells of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris tolled 88 times in tribute to Pope Francis, once for every year of his life.
The bells rang at 11am and a Memorial Mass was held at midday. Further Memorial Masses will be held at 6pm on Monday and 8am on Tuesday.
Erdogan praises Pope for Gaza stance
President Erdogan of Turkey said the Pope was dedicated to building interfaith dialogue and addressing “human tragedies” such as the war in Gaza.
“A respected statesman, Pope Francis was also a spiritual leader who valued dialogue between different faith groups and took the initiative in the face of human tragedies, especially the Palestinian issue and the genocide in Gaza,” Erdogan wrote on X.
Francis was a strong critic of Israel’s war in Gaza, constantly calling for a ceasefire — including in his final address on Easter Sunday — and accusing Israel of cruelty, while also calling for the release of Israeli hostages.
Last year, he wrote in a book that “what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide”, prompting Israel, which has denied such allegations, to summon the Vatican’s ambassador.
Eiffel Tower goes dark in tribute
David Chazan in Paris
The lights of the Eiffel Tower are to be turned off on Monday night to mark the death of Pope Francis, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, said.
She also announced a plan to name a Paris square after the pontiff.
Hidalgo said Francis had championed causes that resonated with Parisians, including placing “ecology at the centre of spiritual and social concerns, advocating for an ecology that fights poverty, supports refugees and combats global warming”.
Archbishop of New York: There’s a death in the family
Alistair Dawber, Washington Correspondent
Speaking at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, said that Pope Francis would be mourned as the father of his family.
“We are grateful to God for the gift that he was,” said Dolan, 75. “We didn’t call him Holy Father for nothing. He’s the father of our family and there’s a death in the family. We are saddened.”
Pope picked his place in Catholic history
St Mary Major is a one-stop shopping experience for western culture and religion and it is no wonder that Pope Francis wants to be buried here rather than at St Peter’s. He already has a spot for his tomb picked out next to the icon of Mary with Jesus as a child.
“He has been here 125 times since becoming Pope and always brings flowers,” said Father Ivan Ricupero, the basilica’s master of ceremonies and head of liturgy.
The Pope came the day after his election in 2013 and has returned before and after every foreign trip; he also dropped off flowers following his release from hospital in March after a near-fatal bout of pneumonia.
• Read in full: Pope Francis picks his place in Catholic history at St Mary Major
Football club bids farewell to lifelong fan
San Lorenzo, the Argentine football club that Pope Francis supported, has posted a tribute on social media, claiming that the pontiff “was never just one of us, but always one of us”.
Referring to one of the club’s nicknames, cuervo (or crow), officials at San Lorenzo wrote on X: “Cuervo as a child and as a man … Cuervo as a priest and cardinal… Cuervo as Pope too…”
The post added: “From Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Francis, there was one thing that never changed: his love for the Cyclone [another club nickname]. Wrapped in deep sorrow, from #SanLorenzo today we say to Francis: Goodbye, thank you, and farewell! We will be together for eternity!”
Francis was a card-carrying member of the Buenos Aires club; his ID number was 88,235.
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Union flags at half-mast
The Union flag is at half-mast at royal residences, with the music for Changing the Guard taking on a sombre tone to reflect the news. A representative from the monarchy is expected to attend the Pope’s funeral; in the meantime, royals are expected to continue with their engagements as planned.
White House pays tribute
President Trump and his family met the Pope in May 2017, during Trump’s first term in office. His vice-president, JD Vance, met Francis on Easter Sunday.
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Argentina to mourn for a week
Argentina has announced seven days of mourning after the death of Pope Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires and became the city’s archbishop.
President Milei once called Francis the Devil’s representative on Earth, but the pair had reconciled in recent years.
“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his kindness and wisdom was a true honour for me,” Milei wrote on X.
“As president, as an Argentine, and, fundamentally, as a man of faith, I bid farewell to the Holy Father and stand with all of us who are today dealing with this sad news.”
African bishops note Pope’s call for peace
An association of African bishops highlighted that during his final public address on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis called for peace on the continent, which faces multiple conflicts.
The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar noted that the Pope focused on the plight of people living in conflict zones, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has about 60 million Roman Catholics.
“May the risen Christ, our hope, grant peace and consolation to the African peoples who are victims of violence and conflict, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan and South Sudan,” the Pope said in his Easter address.
“May he sustain those suffering from the tensions in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region, as well as those Christians who in many places are not able freely to profess their faith.”
Filipinos mourn ‘a man of profound faith and humility’
President Marcos Jr of the Philippines described Pope Francis as the “best pope in my lifetime”.
“A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” Marcos, 67, said on Facebook.
Church bells tolled across Manila on Monday after the news of the death in one of the world’s largest Catholic countries. Nearly 80 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic, a legacy of Spanish colonisation.
The Pope last visited the Philippines in 2015, and drawing a record crowd estimated at six million for Mass in Manila.
African leaders honour Pope Francis
Jack Denton in Nairobi
Condolences after the death of Pope Francis continued to pour in from leaders across Africa on Monday. More than a quarter of a billion Catholics live in Africa.
President Tinubu of Nigeria said: “[Pope Francis] was a steadfast advocate for the developing world, where he consistently spoke against economic injustice and ceaselessly prayed for peace and stability in troubled regions. Let us honour him not with words alone but with action: by lifting those who are down, healing our communities and defending the dignity of every person.”
President Ramaphosa of South Africa said the Pope “sought to unite humanity and wished to see a world governed by fundamental human values … Pope Francis advanced a world view of inclusion, equality and care for marginalised individuals and groups, as well as responsible and sustainable custody of the natural environment”.
Who will be the next pope?
As a papal conclave looms and Vatican experts gather in Rome to issue their lists of papabili, or strong candidates to run the Catholic Church, it is worth remembering they are usually wrong.
Call it Divine Will, call it unpredictable cardinals, but what goes on inside the Sistine Chapel before the white smoke emerges often upsets the odds and hands the role to an outsider.
The African cardinal Robert Sarah went into the 2013 conclave tipped as a strong contender, but that billing apparently crushed his chances, proving the Roman expression that “he who enters a conclave as Pope exits as a cardinal”.
• Read in full: The candidates who could succeed Francis
Ethiopian PM hails Pope’s legacy of ‘compassion and service’
Jack Denton in Nairobi
The leader of one of the world’s oldest Christian nations expressed his condolences after the death of Pope Francis as Africa’s hundreds of millions of Catholics mourn.
Abiy Ahmed, the prime minister of Ethiopia, said in a post on X: “May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his legacy of compassion, humility, and service to humanity continue to inspire generations to come.”
Ethiopia has been Christian since the Aksumite emperor, Ezana, adopted it as an official religion in the fourth century, with East Africa becoming one of the first regions to embrace the religion.
Today Ethiopia is home to a diverse range of Christian denominations including Catholics alongside the dominant Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Abiy himself is a Pentecostal Christian. While the faith has deep roots in Ethiopia, it has spread quickly in recent decades in other parts of Africa.
Spain begins three days of mourning
David Sharrock in Madrid
Spain has begun three days of official mourning after the death of Pope Francis.
The government’s decision was announced by Félix Bolaños, the minister of the presidency, who lamented the passing of a “good man”. The Pope, Bolaños recalled, was a man who fought against inequality, injustice and climate change, in addition to showing concern for all those living on the margins.
“Francis dedicated his life to the weak, to those who have nothing, to those who need everything,” Bolaños said. “He was a pontiff who always defended peace and advocated for dialogue and diplomacy in any conflict.”
Bolaños recalled Francis’s two encyclicals, in which he was able to “link human dignity” with the “struggle for equality” in his fight for human rights.
Africa mourns Pope that ‘amplified voices of the voiceless’
Jack Denton in Nairobi
The chairman of the African Union Commission, which represents all countries in Africa, led the continent and its vast Catholic population in mourning the death of Pope Francis.
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who is also Djibouti’s foreign minister, said: “Pope Francis will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to the promotion of peaceful co-existence, his service to the poor and the marginalised, and his enduring efforts to build bridges where others saw walls.”
He added that the Pope had “courageous engagement with the African continent, amplifying the voices of the voiceless, championing peace and reconciliation, and standing in solidarity with those affected by conflict and poverty”.
Africa had the fastest-growing Catholic population as of 2023, with 281 million faithful, according to the church. Most of Africa’s Catholics live in Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by Nigeria, with significant populations in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. Of the Vatican’s 252 cardinals, 29 are from Africa.
Italian president: Pope’s death brings pain for whole world
Philip Willan in Rome
Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s president, mourned the passing of Pope Francis, saying he had lost a valued point of reference.
“The death of Pope Francis brings pain and sorrow for Italians and the whole world. His teachings recalled the Gospel message, solidarity among men, the duty to be close to the weakest, international co-operation, peace in humanity,” Mattarella said.
“Gratitude towards him must be expressed through the responsibility to act, as he always did, for these objectives.”
Pope unites both sides in Gaza war in mourning
Samer Al-Atrush, Middle East Correspondent
One of the Pope’s last pronouncements, made during his Easter address, was a call to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that sparked the war by attacking Israel on October 7, 2023, has mourned his passing, noting his support for Palestinians.
With his death, Pope Francis managed to get both sides of the war to agree on one thing as Isaac Herzog, the president of Israel, also mourned his loss calling him “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion”.
Questions raised over Pope’s health management
Philip Willan in Rome
The Pope’s death raises the question as to whether his doctors and the Vatican should have done more to rein in his activities during the weeks after his discharge from hospital on March 23.
Doctors had ordered at least two months’ rest and minimal social contact, but the Pope was soon making public appearances again. He met the King and Queen briefly on April 9 and increased his public appearances during Holy Week.
This included a few words of greeting after Mass in St Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday, a visit to Rome’s Regina Coeli prison on Holy Thursday, and several trips to pray in St Peter’s Basilica and chat briefly with tourists.
His Easter Day blessing and tour of the square was evidently taxing as he was unable to raise his arms fully to wave.
How the Pope cemented his status in the Middle East
Samer Al-Atrush, Middle East Correspondent
Pope Francis won hearts and minds in the Middle East, which was riven by religious and sectarian conflict during his tenure. At first all he had to do was surpass a low bar as far as many Muslims were concerned: he was not his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who had infuriated Muslims with his remarks that suggested Islam was a violent religion.
Francis worked hard to mend the rift. He reinitiated dialogue with Egypt’s al-Azhar University, the Sunni world’s most prestigious centre of Islamic learning, and set an example of humility and support for the poor that crossed religious lines.
When he symbolically washed the feet of Muslim refugees, along with Hindus and Copts, it was a gesture that stirred awe and respect. His visits to the region, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel and the West Bank, cemented his status in the Middle East.
Welby mourns death of his ‘friend’
Justin Welby, who became Archbishop of Canterbury days after Francis became Pope, worked closely with the pontiff on peacekeeping missions and said on Monday: “It is with a deep sense of personal sadness that I mourn the death of my friend, His Holiness Pope Francis.”
He added: “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.”
Muslim leaders mourn ‘profound loss for entire world’
Samer Al-Atrush, Middle East Correspondent
The Jews and Christians, the Quran says, will not be pleased with Muslims till they follow their faiths. The verse is often repeated by Muslim fundamentalists who argue they will never share common ground with their Abrahamic co-religionists. Many Muslims — including those who find themselves freer to practise their faith in some western nations than in some Muslim ones — view it as an antiquated view of those faiths, one perhaps true 1,400 years ago but not today.
One common ground, between Roman Catholics and many Muslims at least, had been Pope Francis, whose death was marked by eulogies from Muslim leaders.
His death “is a profound loss for the entire world, as he was a voice of peace, love and compassion”, President Sisi of Egypt said.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates said: “I extend my deepest condolences to Catholics around the world on the passing of Pope Francis, who dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding. May he rest in peace.”
Putin sets aside past tensions
President Putin said that Pope Francis “enjoyed great international authority as a faithful servant of Christian teaching, a wise religious and statesman, and a consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice”.
“Throughout his pontificate, he actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, as well as constructive interaction between Russia and the Holy See,” he added. “I had the opportunity to communicate with this outstanding person on many occasions, and I will forever preserve the brightest memory of him.”
Relations between the Vatican and the pro-Kremlin Russian Orthodox Church reached a low in 2022 when Pope Francis accused Patriarch Kirill of acting like “Putin’s altar boy” over the war in Ukraine. The Pope also appealed for an end to the war in almost every public appearance.
First vacancy of pope and archbishop of Canterbury roles since 1691
The last time the roles of pope and archbishop of Canterbury were vacant at same time was May 30, 1691.
Pope Alexander VIII died on February 1, 1691, 161 days before Innocent XII was chosen as successor. The See of Canterbury was vacant from February 1, 1690, when William Sancroft was forced to step down for refusing to pledge allegiance to William III and Mary II as monarchs.
The role remained unfilled until May 31, 1691, when John Tillotson was consecrated. So from February 1, 1691, to May 30, 1691, there was neither a pope nor an archbishop of Canterbury in place, showing just how rare a situation it is.
Starmer: Pope never lost hope of a better world
Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to Pope Francis, saying his death is a reminder of “his call to care for one another across different faiths, backgrounds, nations and beliefs”.
The prime minister said: “I join millions around the world in grieving the death of his Holiness, Pope Francis.
“His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the Church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility.
“Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world.
“With his death, we are reminded once more of his call to care for one another across different faiths, backgrounds, nations and beliefs. My thoughts are with Catholics across the world, and the Roman Catholic Church. May his Holiness rest in peace.”
Pope gave Easter blessing despite visible frailty
Philip Willan in Rome
Vatican observers said they had the impression that Pope Francis was determined to make a public appearance after Easter Sunday Mass in St Peter’s Square and salute the crowd during a tour in his “popemobile”, realising that it might be his last opportunity.
Those who saw him up close said it was clear that he was still seriously unwell almost a month after being discharged from hospital; that he had difficulty speaking and sometimes had a pained expression on his face.
Television coverage showed Archbishop Diego Ravelli look anxiously to the side, where Francis was sitting in a wheelchair, on a couple of occasions as he read the Pope’s Easter message from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
An aide also appeared to massage the back of the Pope’s neck as he travelled on the popemobile — possibly a sign that he was having difficulty breathing.
King and Queen ‘deeply saddened’
The King said he and the Queen were “most deeply saddened” by the death of the Pope, adding that they were “greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier this month”.
He added: “Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry.
“His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others.
“The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years. We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve.”
Pope’s legacy: beloved by millions, hated by the old guard
In a speech he made in 2015, two years after his election, Pope Francis set out his vision for the Roman Catholic Church, urging it to be closer to the “abandoned, the forgotten, the imperfect” and calling on it to be “a happy church with the face of a mother, who understands, accompanies, caresses”.
His commitment to forging a more open, broad-based church, in touch with distant dioceses, was evident in 2015 when he drew an estimated six million people to a Mass in Manila, and then, in 2023, a million in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In East Timor 600,000 people — almost half the country — attended Mass during his visit in September last year.
• Read in full: Pope Francis’s legacy — beloved by millions, hated by the old guard
Archbishop of Westminster: Pope’s legacy must be carried forward
Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said: “The death of Pope Francis brings great sadness to so many around the world, both within the Catholic Church and in societies in general.
“A voice proclaiming the innate dignity of every human being, especially those who are poor or marginalised, is now silent. The legacy he leaves is one we must seek to carry forward and strengthen.
“Pope Francis was called to priesthood through his experience of the mercy and compassion of God. This remained the core of his ministry, as priest, bishop and pontiff. Only in understanding the love and mercy of God towards each one of us can we fashion societies and communities that bear the mark of the kingdom of God.”
Pope was obviously very ill, Vance says
JD Vance said his “heart goes out” to Christians around the world after hearing of the Pope’s death.
The US vice-president said that Francis appeared to be very ill when they met at the Pope’s Vatican residence on Sunday.
“I just learnt of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance wrote on X. “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. May God rest his soul.”
Who is the Irishman who announced the Pope’s death?
The Pope’s death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who has served as camerlengo, a key office in the papal household, since 2019.
Born in 1947 in Dublin, he was Bishop of Dallas in Texas from 2007 to 2016 and has held senior roles on a number of Vatican committees.
The camerlengo’s role while the Pope is alive is to administer the Holy See’s property and revenue. After his death, he must verify the fact and then direct preparations for and manage the conclave to elect a new pontiff.
• Read in full: Cardinal Farrell — the Irish cleric at heart of the Vatican
‘Pope’s legacy will lead us to a more compassionate world’
Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president and German Christian Democrat, said Pope Francis “inspired millions of people far beyond the Catholic Church”.
“My thoughts are with all those who feel this grave loss,” she said. “May they find comfort in the thought that Pope Francis’s legacy will continue to lead us all to a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world.”
Italian PM thanks Pope for his teachings
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, said “a great man has left us” and thanked the Pope for his friendship and advice.
“I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased not even during times of trial and suffering,” Meloni said. “We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness.”
Dutch PM: Pope was a role model for many
Bruno Waterfield in Brussels
Pope Francis was “in every sense a man of the people,” Dick Schoof, the Dutch prime minister, has said.
Schoof, 68, grew up in a Roman Catholic family in the largely Protestant country, the second youngest of seven children; he describes himself as “non-practising”.
“The worldwide Catholic community bids farewell to a leader who recognised the burning issues of our time and called attention to them,” he said. “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.”
Pope met JD Vance on Easter Sunday
Before Pope Francis’s last public appearance, he met with JD Vance, the US vice-president, in his Vatican residence.
The Pope told Vance, who converted to Catholicism six years ago, that Christ’s parable about the Good Samaritan indicated that Christian charity applied to all strangers. The pontiff has previously disputed Vance’s interpretation of Catholic doctrine to justify charity towards family and country before strangers.
In January, the Pope called the Trump administration’s efforts to deport undocumented migrants a “disgrace”.
The vice-president had been visiting Italy with his family and met senior Vatican officials for formal talks on Saturday — in which the pope did not take part.
Archbishop of York pays tribute to ‘holy and human’ Pope
The Most Rev Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, who is the Church of England’s most senior cleric in the absence of an Archbishop of Canterbury, 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 wellbeing of the earth and his desire to lead and build the church in new ways.
“I remember, in the brief times I 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. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”
Pope’s last appearance a day before his death
Pope Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, a day before his death, when he appeared to bless thousands of people in St Peter’s Square.
He performed the blessing from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world on March 13, 2013, as the 266th pope.
Pope Francis treated the worshippers to a surprise “popemobile” ride through the famous piazza which was met with cheers and applause from the crowd.
In his message read from the balcony the Pope condemned the contempt shown for the marginalised in society as well as migrants and warned of rising antisemitism around the world.
Macron pays tribute to Pope Francis
David Chazan in Paris
President Macron praised the Pope for always being on “the side of the most vulnerable”.
“From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest,” the French president wrote on X.
“May it unite people with each other and with nature. May this hope continually revive beyond him. My wife and I send our thoughts to all Catholics and to the grieving world.”
Macron shared a photo of himself and his wife, Brigitte, with the Pope.
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Pope frequently suffered from respiratory illnesses
The Pope was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli polyclinic hospital in February after suffering from a bout of bronchitis and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia after his situation worsened.
He spent 38 days in hospital before returning to the Vatican’s residence at the Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery.
He had frequently suffered from bouts of respiratory illnesses stemming from a severe respiratory infection in his twenties which required that a portion of his lung be removed.
In 2023 he cancelled a planned visit to the United Arab Emirates because he had influenza and lung inflammation.
What happens after the death of a pope?
The days between the death of a pope and the election of his successor are packed with centuries-old ceremonies and rituals, following a timetable intended to find a new pontiff within three weeks.
Tradition begins at the moment of the pope’s death, as an official given the title of Camerlengo, or chamberlain, calls out the pope’s name three times at his bedside to ensure he has died.
His next task is to deface and smash the pescatorio, or “ring of the fisherman”, which symbolises papal authority and was once used as a seal on official documents.
Pope Francis dies aged 88
Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo of the apostolic chamber, announced the death of the Pope in a statement published this morning.
It said: “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 favour of 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 the One and Triune God.”
Argentina to mourn for a week
Argentina has announced seven days of mourning after the death of Pope Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires and became the city’s archbishop.
President Milei once called Francis the Devil’s representative on Earth, but the pair had reconciled in recent years.
“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his kindness and wisdom was a true honour for me,” Milei wrote on X.
“As president, as an Argentine, and, fundamentally, as a man of faith, I bid farewell to the Holy Father and stand with all of us who are today dealing with this sad news.”
