Tributes to Pope Francis follow each other around his death

Lyon, France (AP) – tributes to Pope Francis instantly arrived from everyone, already out of presidents or people on foot, after the Vatican announced on Monday the death of the pontiff at age 88.

The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, a mostly Catholic country, focused on the impact of the Pope on the Church and wrote in X that “from Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. That humans united with each other and with nature. That this hope survives forever.”

The United States Vice President JD Vance, who on Easter Sunday met with the Pope before traveling to India, wrote on Monday that his “heart is with” the millions of Christians who loved him, and added that “I was happy to see him yesterday, although he was obviously very sick.”

The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who was one of the few official visitors who saw Francisco during his recent hospitalization, alluded to the personal comfort and the advice that the Pope gave him and pointed out that “I had the privilege of enjoying their friendship, their advice and their teachings, which never failed me, not even in times of trial and suffering”.

Francisco’s death, she said, “it saddens us, since we are dismissing a great man and a great shepherd.”

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reminded the Pontiff as an inspiration for everyone, not only for Christians.

“He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate,” he tweeted. “My thoughts are with everyone who feels this deep loss. They find comfort in the idea that Pope Francis’s legacy will continue to guide us all towards a more fair, peaceful and compassionate world.”

While the crowds went to the Plaza de San Pedro, people from all over the world deposited flowers in the churches, which in many cases sounded their bells in honor of Francisco, including the newly reopened Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog, whose role is mostly ceremonial, offered his condolences and described Francisco as a man of “deep faith and compassion without limits.”

“I really hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages will be answered soon,” Herzog published in X, referring to the repeated calls of the Pope to end the war and the release of the captives retained by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Francisco had repeatedly criticized Israel’s behavior in times of war and said that the accusations of genocide, which Israel has flatly denied, should be investigated.

In social networks, the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, praised Francisco for focusing on the most vulnerable in the world. The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, published a photo of himself in X with the Pope, both smiling, and called Francisco a “friendly and compassionate person.” Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof said that Francisco “was in every way a man of the people.”

The Egyptian President Abdul Fatá El Sisi said in a statement that Francisco leaves “a great human legacy that will remain recorded in the conscience of humanity” and called him “an exceptional global figure that dedicated his life to serve the values ​​of peace and justice.”

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris praised Francisco for his defense of the poor and his calls to improve interreligious relationships and focus on the protection of the environment that made him “a lighthouse of hope and a voice for the without voice.”

But some critics expressed frustration. The Women’s Planning Conference lamented Francisco’s lack of disposition to promote the management of women.

“His repeated policy of ‘closed door’ about the ordination of women was painfully incongruous with his pastoral nature, and for many, a betrayal of the Synod and listening church that defended,” said the conference. “This made him a complicated, frustrating figure and sometimes heartbreaking for many women.”

The Vatican announced that Francisco, the 266th Pope, died Monday morning, a day after his last public appearance on Easter Sunday to bless thousands of people in the Plaza de San Pedro.

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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.