Tributes Pour In As Pope Francis Dies At 88

The Catholic Church has been thrown into mourning following Pope Francis's death.

The Vatican announced the pontiff's death on Easter Monday, a day after making his final public appearance on Easter Sunday.

The pope's death comes almost a month after he was discharged from the hospital after battling bilateral pneumonia.

On Monday, the Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis via a statement made by His Eminence Cardinal Farrell.

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," the statement began.

Cardinal Farrell continued, "At 7:35 this morning (local time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church."

The statement continued, "He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized."

Cardinal Farrell concluded, "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."

The pope's death came amid the Catholic Church's Easter celebrations. He made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday and was pictured greeting the crowd from the gallery of St. Peter's Basilica after celebrating Mass.

In his final appearance, the Pope called for peace and urged people to respect one another's views.

An aide read the pope's Easter Sunday message, a part of which read, "There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression."

The pontiff also remembered the people of Gaza and reflected on how continued violence in the region had created a "deplorable humanitarian situation."

Speaking about several world conflicts, Pope Francis said, "What a great thirst for death, for killing we see in many conflicts raging in different parts of the world."

He continued, "I express my closeness to the sufferings... for all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people. Call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace."

Pope Francis also encouraged everyone involved in the Ukraine war to "pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace."

The late pontiff's health deteriorated in his final months on Earth.

In February, the pope experienced difficulties breathing for several days and was taken to the Gemelli hospital in Rome on February 14.

Pope Francis spent several weeks in the hospital, and many Catholic faithful feared the worst.

However, he was discharged from the hospital on March 23 and gradually resumed his official and administrative duties.

The announcement of Pope Francis's death was followed by an outpouring of tributes from world leaders and thousands of people worldwide.

The White House paid tribute with a post on X that read, "Rest in Peace, Pope Francis." Accompanying the post was a picture of President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, meeting the Pope and another photo of Pope Francis and Vice President JD Vance, which was taken on Sunday.

British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, also paid tribute to the late pontiff via a post on X, writing, "Deeply saddened to hear of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy. On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I share my sincerest condolences to the whole Catholic Church."

Starmer's post was accompanied by a lengthy statement in which he extolled the Holy Father's virtues and extended condolences to Catholics worldwide.

King Charles also released a statement expressing sadness about the Pope's death and fondly recalling his and his wife, Queen Camilla's, meetings with the deceased.

Other world leaders who have paid tribute to the pope include the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and many more.

Following the death of a pope, the Catholic Church begins a nine-day mourning period known as the Novendiale. During this time, the late pontiff's body is dressed in papal garments and placed in St. Peter's Basilica for the public to pay their respects.

The funeral typically takes place in St. Peter's Square. It is led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who is 91 years old.

High-profile dignitaries, including world leaders and royalty, usually attend the funeral. Funeral rites include daily prayers and masses in churches around the world and at St. Peter's Basilica. The burial usually happens four to six days after death.

Popes are traditionally buried in triple coffins, but Pope Francis has requested a single coffin. He also wished to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore, not the Vatican Grottoes. This will make him the first pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican.

A few weeks after the pope's passing, cardinals under 80 meet in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope in a process called the Papal Conclave.

Ballots are burned after each round, with black smoke signaling no decision and white smoke announcing a new pope has been chosen.