Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died Monday morning, the Vatican said in a statement. He was 88.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” Cardinal Farrell, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, said in a statement. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.”

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“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized,” the statement read.

Francis became the 266th Pope of Rome on March 13, 2013. He was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church in over 1,200 years.

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, Francis had recently survived a very serious double pneumonia. Hours before his death, he had met US president J D Vance.

World leaders express condolences on demise of Pope Francis

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, mourned the pasisng of Pope Francis, calling him “The People’s Pope”.

“Europe mourns the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His contagious smile captured millions of people’s hearts across the globe. ‘The People’s Pope’ will be remembered for his love for life, hope for peace, compassion for equality & social justice. May he rest in peace,” she said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said, “From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. May it unite people with each other and with nature. May this hope continually revive beyond him. My wife and I send our thoughts to all Catholics and to the grieving world..”

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for peace.

“He was a great spiritual leader, a tireless advocate for peace, and his human warmth was a comfort not only to Catholics. Pope Francis has left us. His legacy will remain,” she said.

“It is with deep sadness I heard the news this morning of the death of Pope Francis. He was a voice for peace, tolerance and reconciliation in our society. He brought comfort, assurance and hope to many. May he Rest in Peace,” John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland said in a post on X.