Reactions to the death of Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday. He was 88, and had recently suffered a serious bout of double pneumonia.

Following are reactions to his death:

BRITAIN’S KING CHARLES:

“My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis. 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,” Charles said in a statement.

“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.”

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN

“Please accept my most sincere condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” Putin said in a message to Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell.

“Throughout the years of his pontificate, he actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive cooperation between Russia and the Holy See.”

ARGENTINA’S PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI

“It is with profound sorrow that I learned this sad morning that Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, passed away today and is now resting in peace,” Milei wrote on X.

“Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me.”

HEAD OF THE ITALIAN BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE (CEI) CARDINAL MATTEO ZUPPI

“It is a painful moment of great suffering for the entire Church”, Zuppi said in a statement.

He asked all churches in Italy to ring their bells in a sign of mourning and for moment of personal and communal prayer.

Also read: Pope Francis: Key moments from his life

US VICE-PRESIDENT JD VANCE:

“I just learned 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 (Sunday), though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the…. homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.”

ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI:

Meloni mourned the departure of “a great man, a great shepherd”.

“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 in a statement.

FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON:

“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,”

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI:

“Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.

“He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope. I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace.”

GERMANY’S CHANCELLOR-IN-WAITING FRIEDRICH MERZ:

Pope Francis would be remembered for tireless commitment to the society’s weakest members.

“He was guided by humility and faith in God’s mercy,” Merz said in a post on X.

ISRAEL’S PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG:

“A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world,” Herzog said of Francis. “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,” Herzog said on X.

CARDINAL PABLO VIRGILIO DAVID, PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES:

“Oh my God. I am so shocked by this.”

“Let us please ring the bells of our churches and call our people to prayer for the eternal repose of the Holy Father Pope Francis who passed on just about ten minutes ago.”

Also read: Pope Francis has died, Vatican says in video statement