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April 21, 2025e-Paper
Updated – April 21, 2025 06:02 pm IST
Filipinos offer candles in front of a picture of Pope Francis following the Vatican's announcement of Pope Francis death, at the Manila Cathedral in Manila, Philippines, on April 21, 2025 | Photo Credit: Reuters
Pope Francis was reported dead on Monday (April 21, 2025), according to a video statement released by the Vatican. The first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who served 12 years was 88.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell said in the announcement.
Also read: Pope Francis, first Latin-American to head the Catholic Church, passes away at 88
His last public address was on Sunday (April 20, 2025) for conveying Easter message, in which he reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Pope Francis who had chronic lung disease was admitted to Gemelli on February 14, 2025 after a bout of bronchitis worsened. He was treated there for a long time after he got discharged on March 23, 2025.
Pope Francis’ body could be moved to St Peter’s Basilica, allowing the faithful to pay their respects, as early as Wednesday, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement on Monday.
A group of cardinals meeting on Tuesday are expected to take a formal decision on the issue, he added.
– Reuters
Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama praised Pope Francis on Monday, offering Buddhist prayers and writing to the papal envoy to “express his sadness” at his death.
“Pope Francis dedicated himself to the service of others… consistently revealing by his own actions how to live a simple, but meaningful life,” the Buddhist leader said in a statement from his base in exile in India.
“The best tribute we can pay to him is to be a warm-hearted person, serving others wherever and in whatever way we can”.
– AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump paid his respects Monday to Pope Francis, writing “Rest in Peace” in a short post on his Truth Social platform.
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” Trump said.
– AFP
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday condoled the demise of Pope Francis and said his compassion and commitment to building a better world defined his papacy.
“Saddened at the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His compassion and commitment to building a better world defined his papacy,” Mr. Jaishankar said in a social media post.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also condoled Francis’s death.
“Deeply saddened by the passing away of His Holiness Pope Francis. He will be remembered for his remarkable service to the human society, specially poor and the marginalised,” he said.
“My thoughts are with the millions around the world who grieve his demise,” Mr. Singh said.
– PTI
The Goa Church condoled the demise of Pope Francis on Monday, calling it “sad news for the universal church” but also asserted it was a “a moment of giving thanks to God” for providing the leadership of “this great man”.
“It is a sad news for the universal church. But at the same time, it is a moment of giving thanks to God. God has led the church for the last almost 12 years now with the leadership of this great man, a man of god. That is why it is also a moment for the church to thank God,” Fr Henry Falcao, Director of St Joseph Vaz Renewal Centre at Old Goa, told PTI.
Informing that the mourning period will continue till the funeral takes place, Falcao said it is also a time for the church to pray intensely so that God provides a leader, a new Pope who will guide in these difficult times.
– PTI
Predicting the next Pope is risky, but these cardinals are potential successors to Pope Francis, each with unique qualities.
Argentines long waited for Pope Francis to visit the homeland he left in 2013 to become the head of the Roman Catholic Church. With his death today at the age of 88 after a long illness, those hopes for his return end unrealized.
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, who shook up the Catholic Church, had died after he battled a bout of double pneumonia that had hospitalized him for weeks before he was discharged on March 23.
Pope Francis made more than 45 international trips during his papacy, including the first by any pope to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, North Macedonia, Bahrain and Mongolia.
But the one-time Archbishop of Buenos Aires never returned to Argentina, where he divided opinion but gained the moniker of the “slum pope” for his focus on the poor and spending time in the capital’s tough urban neighbourhoods, or ‘villas’.
“One of the great curiosities of his papacy was the fact that, unlike his predecessors, Francis never visited his native country,” Jimmy Burns, author of the 2015 biography “Francis, Pope of Good Promise”, told Reuters weeks before his death.
Burns said he believed Pope Francis did not want to be seen siding either with the left-leaning Peronists or the conservatives in the country’s polarized political environment.
– Reuters
Pope Francis’s body will be laid in a coffin in the chapel at the Saint Martha residence where he lived at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) on Monday, the Vatican said.
“Tonight, Monday April 21 at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT), His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of certification of death and the laying of the body in the coffin,” the Holy See said in a statement.
– AFP
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed profound sorrow over the passing of Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City.
Read more
The Vatican has suspended due to Pope Francis’ death a planned ceremony for the Catholic Church to proclaim the first saint from the millennial generation, it said in a statement today.
Carlo Acutis, an Italian boy who died from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was originally set to be made a saint at a ceremony in St. Peter’s Square on April 27.
– Reuters
The Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) called for all sporting events due to take place in Italy to be postponed following the death of Pope Francis and for “a minute’s silence to be observed at events throughout the week”.
“We invited national federations and all organisers of sporting events to suspend their competitions on Monday,” read the CONI statement.
Cycling race the Tour of the Alps, a key lead-up race to the Giro d’Italia, did get under way after observing a minute’s silence.
– AFP
Bangladesh’s interim government paid its respects to Pope Francis, with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus praising the late pontiff as a “true friend and kindred spirit”.
Mr. Yunus shared a “profound connection” with Pope Francis, his office said in a statement. The micro-finance pioneer took over as interim leader of Muslim-majority Bangladesh after a mass uprising ousted the government in August 2024.
“Pope Francis was a towering figure of moral clarity, humility, and compassion in our time,” the statement said, detailing how the men had worked together on shared efforts for social justice and care for the natural world.
“His lifelong dedication to justice, peace, and the dignity of every human being resonated far beyond the Catholic world,” it said.
– AFP
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr described Pope Francis as the “best pope in my lifetime,” as he expressed deep sorrow over his passing.
“A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” Mr. Marcos said in a separate post on Facebook.
The Philippines is the only predominantly Catholic country in Southeast Asia.
– Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mourned the death of Pope Francis, saying the Catholic leader had “prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians.”
“We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media.
– AFP
The Sivagiri Madhom condoled the death of Pope Francis, recalling the time he spent with the senior monks of the Madhom in November 2024 at an inter-religious conference at the Vatican marking the 100th anniversary of the ‘All Religions’ Conference’ organised by Sree Narayana Guru in 1924.
Read more:
Sivagiri Madhom mourns Pope Francis, highlighting his impact on interfaith harmony and world peace at a Vatican conference.
King Charles III said he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Pope Francis, and that he had been “greatly moved” to visit him earlier this month with his wife Queen Camilla.
“Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many,” said King Charles, who is also the head of the Church of England.
– AFP
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk paid tribute to Pope Francis, calling the late pontiff a “good, warm and sensitive man”.
“Pope Francis has died. A good, warm and sensitive man. May he rest in peace,” Mr. Tusk wrote on X.
– AFP
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Pope Francis’s leadership was “courageous” and the pope, who died aged 88 on Monday, “never lost hope of a better world”.
“His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility,” Mr. Starmer said in a statement, with flags set to fly at half-mast on UK government buildings for a day in his honour.
– AFP
Pope Francis apostilistic journeys map@2x (1).png
The Congress expressed sadness over the passing away of Pope Francis and offered condolences to the Christian community. “The entire world is saddened by the passing away of Pope Francis who will be seen by posterity as being hugely consequential,” read the statement issued by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Read more:
Congress mourns the passing of Pope Francis, a global voice for peace and justice, offering condolences to the Christian community.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was the last leader to meet Pope Francis at his Vatican residence to exchange Easter greetings on Sunday (April 20, 2025), before the Pope passed away today after battling a prolonged respiratory illness.
Read more:
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was the last leader to meet Pope Francis at his Vatican residence, before the Pope passed away on April 21 morning
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas paid tribute to Pope Francis, calling him a “faithful friend of the Palestinian people,” the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
“Today, we lost a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights,” Abbas said, noting that Pope Francis “recognised the Palestinian state and authorised the Palestinian flag to be raised in the Vatican.”
– AFP
Argentina presidency office said in a statement that it deeply regretted the death of Pope Francis, the first Argentine leader of the global Catholic Church.
Libertarian President Javier Milei, who previously clashed with the pope but patched things up after taking office, praised his focus on inter-religious dialogue, building up spirituality amongst the young and his focus on cost-cutting in the Vatican.
– Reuters
As Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, battling a complex lung infection and complications, his visit to India, which was likely to take place after this year (2025), never materialised. Although India has more Catholics than Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore combined, there has been no Papal visit in the country since 1999.
Read more:
Pope Francis' visit to India post-2025 in doubt due to health concerns, despite previous invitations and anticipation.
Taiwan will send envoys of the “appropriate level” to the funeral of Pope Francis and President Lai Ching-te has sent his condolences to the Vatican via the Taiwanese embassy, the island’s Foreign Ministry said.
The Vatican is one of only 12 countries to maintain formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan.
– Reuters
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said she was “deeply saddened” by Pope Francis’s death.
“He was a global voice for unity, justice, and human dignity. His wisdom and humility touched lives far beyond faith,” Ms. Lagarde wrote on X.
– AFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the late Pope Francis as a “defender” of “humanism and justice”, and praised his efforts to promote dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
Mr. Putin praised “wise” Pope Francis as a “consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice,” in a letter to the Vatican published by the Kremlin, adding he had “actively promoted dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.”
– AFP
The Eiffel Tower’s landmark illuminations will be switched off tonight in memory of Pope Francis who died aged 88, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said.
City hall was planning to name a site in the French capital after Pope Francis who, she said, had placed “ecology at the centre of spiritual concerns” and had argued in favour of “welcoming refugees”.
– AFP
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the passing away of His Holiness Pope Francis is a loss to the entire world.
“He was truly an embodiment of love and compassion. He stood for the truth, he spoke out fearlessly against injustice and cared for the poor and marginalised in true faith.
“He was an inspiration to millions across the world who hope and strive for a more peaceful and kinder world. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” she said in her message on X. — PTI
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed sadness over the passing away of Pope Francis, whom he described as a consistent champion of inter-religious understanding and an influential force for global peace and harmony.
“The entire world is saddened by the passing away of Pope Francis who will be seen by posterity as being hugely consequential.
“He was a consistent champion of inter-religious understanding and engagement. He was also a greatly influential force for global peace and harmony who actively supported causes like the ending of discrimination of all forms, the mitigation of economic inequalities and of collaborative endeavours to deal with the impacts of climate change,” Mr. Kharge said in a statement.
The Congress president said Pope Francis was truly an iconic personality, a humanitarian par excellence, who has left behind a very valuable legacy.
“On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I extend our sincere condolences to our Christian brethren especially in different parts of our country and the world,” the Congress chief said. — PTI
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said, he was “deeply saddened” by the death of Pope Francis, adding that the pontiff’s advocacy for justice, peace, and interfaith dialogue earned him respect far beyond the Catholic world.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis, a transformative figure who led the Catholic Church with empathy and progressive values.
“He was a compassionate and progressive voice who brought humility, moral courage, and a deep sense of empathy to the papacy. His dedication to the poor, his embrace of the marginalised, and his advocacy for justice, peace, and interfaith dialogue earned him respect far beyond the Catholic world.
“The legacy he leaves behind is one of compassion in action and faith grounded in humanity,” Mr. Stalin said.
Lebanon’s Christian President Joseph Aoun mourned the death of Pope Francis, a “dear friend and strong supporter” of the crisis-hit multi-confessional country.
“We will never forget his repeated calls to protect Lebanon and preserve its identity and diversity,” Mr. Aoun — the Arab world’s only Christian president — said in a statement on the presidency’s X account, calling Francis’s death “a loss for all humanity, for he was a powerful voice for justice and peace” who called for “dialogue between religions and cultures”. — AFP
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said Pope Francis has left a legacy of compassion, inclusivity, and a profound commitment to social justice.
Read more:
Kerala CM praises Pope Francis for compassion, inclusivity, social justice, interfaith dialogue, and critique of capitalism.
US Vice President J.D. Vance said his “heart goes out” to Christians after the death aged 88 of Pope Francis, a day after he met the pontiff at the Vatican.
Mr. Vance was the last leader to meet Pope Francis before his death.
“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill,” Catholic convert Vance wrote on X during a visit to India.
– AFP
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance meets Pope Francis to exchange Easter greetings amid migrant deportation dispute.
The death of Pope Francis “is a profound loss for the entire world, as as he was a voice of peace, love and compassion,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said.
Extending his condolences, Mr. 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”.
– AFP
Polish President Andrzej Duda said that the pope was a great apostle of Mercy, in whom he saw the answer to the challenges of the modern world.
“In his pastoral ministry, he was guided by humility and simplicity,” Mr. Duda said in a post on X.
– Reuters
Pope Francis will go down in history as a radical pontiff, a champion of underdogs who forged a more compassionate Catholic Church while stopping short of overhauling centuries-old dogma.
Read more:
Pope Francis: radical leader who broke the papal mould
Pope Francis, a radical pontiff and champion of the underdogs, transformed the Catholic Church with compassion and reform.
Pope Francis, a radical pontiff and champion of the underdogs, transformed the Catholic Church with compassion and reform.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his pain on the passing of Pope Francis, through social media platform X.
“In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community,” he wrote.
“Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world. From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope,” PM Modi added.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said news of Pope Francis’ death was cause for great sadness because of 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,” Ms. Meloni said in a statement.
“We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness.”
– Reuters
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hailed Pope Francis’s “commitment to peace, social justice and the most vulnerable” after his death at the age of 88.
“I am sorry to hear of the death of Pope Francis. His commitment to peace, social justice and the most vulnerable leaves a profound legacy. Rest in peace,” the Socialist leader wrote on X.
– AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron paid homage to Pope Francis, saying he had always been “on the side of the most vulnerable and the most fragile” and fought for “more justice”.
Speaking during a trip to the Pacific region, Mr. Macron expressed his “most sincere condolences to Catholics the world over” after the death of Francis who, he said, had stood for a “brotherly humankind”.
– AFP
Pope Francis, who died today, “inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate”, Eureopean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“My thoughts are with all who feel this profound loss,” she wrote on X, adding she hopes his “legacy will continue to guide us all toward a more just, peaceful and compassionate world.”
– AFP
Here’s are glimpses from the life and papacy of Pope Francis:
Pope Francis, the first Latin American Pope, passed away at 88, leaving a legacy of humility and social justice.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised the deceased Pope Francis as “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion”.
“He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path toward greater understanding and mutual respect,” the President said in a post on X.
– AFP
Iran offered condolences following the death of Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church.
“My colleagues have just informed me of the news… I offer my condolences to all Christians around the world,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said at a press briefing. Iran, a Muslim-majority country, maintains close ties with the Vatican.
– AFP
The papal ring, also known as the “Fisherman’s Ring,” has a rich history and is a significant symbol of the Pope’s authority and role within the Catholic Church. The ring is presented to the pope, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, at his papal inauguration. In its standard design, the name of the current pope is inscribed above a picture of St. Peter the Apostle.
Read more:
The history and significance of the papal ring, symbolizing the Pope's authority and role in the Catholic Church.
East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta said the death of Pope Francis was a tremendous loss for the world, not just Christians.
The President of Asia’s youngest, predominantly-Catholic nation told Reuters flags in East Timor would be flown at half-mast for one week to honour the late pontiff’s life and a mass would also be held in his honour.
– Reuters
Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said that 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,” Mr. Merz said in a post on X.
– Reuters
Pope Francis was in every way a man of the people, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said in a statement on X.
“The global Catholic community bids farewell to a leader who recognised the burning issues of our day and called attention to them. With his sober way of life, acts of service and compassion, Pope Francis was a role model for many – Catholics and non-Catholics alike. We remember him with great respect,” Mr. Schoof said.
– Reuters
Published – April 21, 2025
World / death / Vatican City State / Live news / pope / christianity
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