Tributes to Pope Francis from around the world yesterday, acknowledging his courage and compassion and his care for the most vulnerable, underscored his final Easter Sunday message, delivered only hours before he died.
His message, read by an aide on his behalf, emphasised “respect for the views of others”.
“There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression,” the 88-year-old Pontiff declared.
In particular, he remembered the people caught up in the Gaza conflict, which he described as a “deplorable humanitarian situation”. He also called growing global antisemitism “worrisome”.
“I express my closeness to the sufferings… for all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people,” the message said. “Call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.”
The BBC reports that countries around the world yesterday began announcing preparations for events or gestures to honour Pope Francis.
Argentina − the Pope’s home country – and Brazil both announced seven days of national mourning.
In Austria, church bells were rung, and black flags hung from churches and clerical buildings. A requiem mass was held for the Pope at Vienna’s St Stephen’s Cathedral last evening.
Royal residences in the United Kingdom and the British embassy at the Vatican flew the Union Jack at half-mast.
In Spain, three days of mourning have been declared.
In France, the bells at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris rang out 88 times yesterday, and the Eiffel Tower lights were turned off.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said a mass would take place at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre tomorrow.
World leaders were quick to pay tribute to the Pope.
French President Emmanuel Macron was among the first, calling the Pontiff a “man of humility, on the side of the most vulnerable and most fragile”.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy”.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply pained” by the Pope’s passing.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk remembers him as a “good, warm and sensitive man”.
Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi says Pope Francis “was a voice of peace, love and compassion”.
President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog hailed his “boundless compassion”.
King 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. His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin remembers Pope Francis as a “defender of the highest values of humanism and justice”, the Kremlin says.
Former US President Joe Biden said the Pope was “unlike any who came before him” and would be remembered as among the most “consequential leaders of our time”.
Former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama said he was a “rare leader who made us want to be better people” and “shook us out of our complacency”.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he “was in every way a man of the people”.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said, “His contagious smile captured millions of people’s hearts across the globe”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said Pope Francis had “humility” and a profound commitment to “making the Church and the world a better place”.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the late Pope a “modernist”, and said he was “a devoted champion and loving father” for Australian Catholics.
Bangladesh’s interim government said Pope Francis was “a towering figure of moral clarity, humility, and compassion”.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu hailed him as a “trenchant voice” for climate action.
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed writes on X: “I extend my deepest condolences on the passing of Pope Francis… may his legacy of compassion, humility, and service to humanity continue to inspire generations to come.”
Kenyan President William Ruto called the Pope’s passing a “big loss” to the Christian world, and praised the Pope’s “unwavering commitment to inclusivity and justice”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Pope Francis “knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez hailed Pope Francis’s commitment to the “most vulnerable”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: “He asked the world, once again, for the courage to change direction, to follow a path that ‘does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, protects”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “he inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate”.
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said Pope Francis was a “great spiritual leader, a tireless advocate for peace”.
BBC Religion editor Aleem Maqbool writes: “A huge part of Pope Francis’s legacy is the way in which he changed the face of the upper echelons of the Catholic Church through his selection of new cardinals.
“In fact, about 80% of the cardinals that will select the next pope were appointed by Pope Francis. What is striking about those selections is their diversity, with many coming from South America, Africa and Asia.
“It was part of Pope Francis’s mission to consolidate a change in the centre of gravity of Catholicism away from Europe, where it was in decline, towards the places it was thriving, and to reflect that in Church leadership.
“The posthumous outpouring of tributes to him from across the globe is perhaps one sign that that shift is working.”
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