Following the death of Pope Francis on Monday, April 21, at age 88, while world leaders expressed their condolences over the passing of the leader of the Catholic Church. The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris rang out 88 times before a noon mass in Francis's honor, followed by another in early evening, according to the Notre-Dame press office. A mass for Pope Francis will be held Wednesday morning at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, "A great man has left us." "Pope Francis has returned to the Father's home. It is deeply sad news, because a great man has left us," Meloni said in a statement.
US Vice President JD Vance said his "heart goes out" to Christians, a day after he met the pontiff at the Vatican. "I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill," Catholic convert Vance wrote on X during a visit to India.
Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin hailed Pope Francis's solidarity with the "poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed."
"Pope Francis's long and distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace and human dignity," said Martin, adding that he would be remembered for his "expression of pain and shame" about historic child abuses in the Catholic Church during his 2018 visit to Ireland.
Germany's incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed "great sorrow," describing him as a man "guided by humility and faith." The pope "will remain in our memories for his indefatigable commitment" to "the most vulnerable, for justice and for reconciliation," he said.
The death of Pope Francis "is a profound loss for the entire world, as he was a voice of peace, love and compassion," Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said.
Extending his condolences, Sisi said the late Catholic leader was an exceptional global figure who "worked tirelessly to promote tolerance and build bridges of dialogue (...) and was a champion of the Palestinian cause, defending legitimate rights and calling for an end to conflict."
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply pained" by the death, saying that the pontiff had served the poor and offered hope to the suffering. "Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world," the Hindu-nationalist leader said in a statement. "I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development."
The bells at Paris's Notre-Dame cathedral rang out 88 times on Monday in honour of Pope Francis who died aged 88. The "88 rings for 88 years of life" were to be followed by a full ringing of the cathedral's bells before a noon mass in Francis's honour, followed by another in early evening, according to the Notre-Dame press office. The Eiffel Tower's illuminations will be switched off in his memory, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said. City hall was planning to name a site in the French capital after Francis who, she said, had placed "ecology at the centre of spiritual concerns" and had argued in favour of "welcoming refugees."