World leaders around the globe issued statements of mourning and remembrance on Monday following the death of Pope Francis, who died Monday morning at age 88.
“Through his teachings and actions, Pope Francis redefined the moral responsibilities of leadership in the 21st century,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote Monday.
“His vision of fairness between the generations was rooted in concrete calls for action, policy, and personal responsibility.”
Carney recalled an address Pope Francis gave at a 2014 Vatican meeting on the common good within the global market.
“Pope Francis issued a challenge that has guided me ever since,” Carney wrote: “He likened humanity to wine — rich, diverse, full of spirit — and the market to grappa — distilled, intense, and at times disconnected.”
“He called on us to ‘turn grappa back into wine,’ to reintegrate human values into our economic lives.”
King Charles said in a statement that he and Queen Camilla have “heavy hearts” after Pope Francis death, paying tribute to his “compassion” and “tireless commitment.”
The King said that although he and Camilla were “deeply saddened”, their sorrow was “somewhat eased” by the Pope’s sharing an Easter greeting with the world on Sunday.
The King and Camilla met with Francis earlier in April on a state visit to Italy.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “Millions of people around the world are mourning the tragic news of Pope Francis’ passing.”
“[Francis] knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity,” Zelenskyy wrote in an X post. “He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians. We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians who looked to Pope Francis for spiritual support. Eternal memory!”
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered American flags flown at half-staff and announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump would attend the funeral in Rome.
“Rest in peace Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!” Trump wrote. “He was a good man, worked hard. He loved the world and it’s an honour to do that.”
Irish President Michael Higgins said he “join[ed] with all those across the world, from their different stations in life, who have expressed such profound sadness on learning of the death of Pope Francis.”
Higgins, who met with Francis five times during his pontificate, praised the late Pope for his “unique humility,” which he said “sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life.”
He further lauded Francis’ commitment to “the vital issues of our time,” including global hunger and poverty, the plight of migrants, and global peace.
“In paying tribute to Pope Francis’ legacy, may we all reflect on the ethical approach that is necessary to tackle the many vital issues, including the serious danger of what he termed ‘the globalization of indifference,’ to which he drew the attention of officeholders and their publics,” Higgins said.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote Monday that he was “deeply saddened” to hear of the Pope’s death.
“Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden, and the forgotten,” Starmer wrote. “He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost the faith-fuelled hope of a better world.”
“That hope was the heart of his papacy,” he added.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he was “deeply saddened with the passing of Pope Francis.” He extended condolences to all believers “for this great loss.”
“His Holiness’ outstanding leadership to have [a] peaceful and just world cannot be forgotten,” he said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Monday he “joine[d] the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a messenger of hope, humility, and humanity.”
“Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity, and social justice,” he added. “My deepest condolences to Catholics and all those around the world inspired by his extraordinary life and example.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Queen Rania joined global leaders in mourning Francis’ death Monday morning.
“Pope Francis was admired by all as the Pope of the People. He brought people together, leading with kindness, humility, and compassion. His legacy will live on in his good deeds and teachings,” King Abdullah said in a social media post.
“In a world that can often feel heartless,” Queen Rania added, “Pope Francis always had love to spare — for the less fortunate, refugee families, and children in war zones, in Gaza and around the world. Humanity has lost an invaluable champion for peace and compassion today. May he rest in peace.”
Barham Salih, president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022, also mourned the Pope’s death in a Monday morning post that included photos of Francis’ 2021 visit to Iraq.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis — a beacon of compassion and moral courage,” he wrote. “I had the honour of meeting His Holiness on several occasions, including inviting him for the historic visit to Iraq. May his relentless pursuit of peace, justice, and our common humanity endure.”
Salih said Francis’ visit had “ignited Iraq’s soul.”
