RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, the Kremlin said on Monday.
"Please accept my most sincere condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis," Putin said in a message to Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
"Throughout the years of his pontificate, he actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive cooperation between Russia and the Holy See."
"In this sad hour, I would like to convey to you and the entire Catholic clergy my words of sympathy and support," Putin said in the message.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday.
In the United States (US) President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will travel to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, marking his first overseas trip since taking office in January.
"We look forward to being there," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday, reported Anadolu Ajansi (AA).
The 88-year-old pontiff died earlier Monday from a cerebral stroke and irreversible heart failure, according to Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli, who signed the death certificate.
Francis, the first Latin American pope, was born in Buenos Aires in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents.
Ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969, he pursued studies in Argentina and later in Germany before ascending to the papacy in 2013.
In the Pontiff’s honour, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese cancelled some of his election campaigning events on Tuesday to mark the death of Pope Francis, while people across the Pacific region mourned his passing.
Albanese, educated in Catholic schools, attended a mass at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne, Reuters reported today.
"The holy father was one of the most consequential leaders of this century and of our lifetime. He was, indeed, the people's Pope," Albanese, in a black suit and tie, told a news conference, adding he had paused election campaigning on Tuesday morning.
The prime minister said government flags would fly at half-mast as a sign of respect for Pope Francis.
"He was tireless in advocating for the powerless, campaigning against poverty, for the rights of working people and for protecting our natural environment," Albanese said.
Early voting opens on Tuesday for the Australian elections scheduled for May 3. Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he believed that campaigning could happen but it would be a respectful day.
The leaders debate scheduled for Tuesday evening is expected to go ahead.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, said in a statement that the pope’s death did not come as a surprise given his age and declining health, but the news was received with great sadness.
With Christianity widespread across the Pacific and large Catholic populations in a number of Pacific islands, including Tonga and Papua New Guinea, the pontiff's death is expected to be felt widely.
Masses are planned in Australia, New Zealand and across the Pacific to pray for Pope Francis ahead of his funeral.
Solomon Islands Archbishop Christopher Cardone said a big mass would be held on Friday at the Holy Cross Cathedral to mark his death with politicians and diplomats expected to attend.
"(Pope Francis') ecumenical spirit and commitment to social and ecological justice and in particular, leadership grounded in compassion for the vulnerable ... were an inspiration,” the Pacific Conference of Churches, which includes Catholic and Protestant churches, added in a statement.
Four cardinals from Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Papua New Guinea are expected to head to Rome to participate in the conclave to select the next pope.
Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and first lady Janja Lula da Silva will travel to Rome to attend Pope Francis' funeral, the Brazilian government said in a statement on Monday.
The confirmation of the date depends on the Vatican protocol, the government said.
Earlier on Monday, Lula declared a seven-day mourning for Francis in Latin America's biggest country.
"Humanity loses today a voice of respect and welcome for others," Reuters reported Lula saying in a separate statement.
"May God comfort those who today, everywhere in the world, suffer the pain of this enormous loss. In his memory and in homage to his work, I decree a seven-day mourning in Brazil."
Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr on Monday led the nation in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, delivering a heartfelt tribute to the late pontiff, whom he described as “the best Pope” of his lifetime, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported.
“Pope Francis was something else. That’s really sad. I love this Pope. The best Pope in my lifetime as far as I’m concerned,” Marcos said on the sidelines of a meeting in Malacanang, according to a Palace news release.
His remarks came just hours after the Vatican confirmed the death of the 88-year-old pontiff.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, led the Catholic Church for 12 years. He was widely admired for his humility, progressive views, and deep concern for the poor and the marginalised.
In a separate statement posted on his social media accounts, Marcos said the Philippines joins the global Catholic community in mourning a spiritual leader who “led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten.”
“By example, Pope Francis taught us that to be a good Christian is to extend kindness and care to one another,” he said.
“His humility brought many back to the fold of the Church. As we mourn his passing, we honour a life that brought hope and compassion to many, inspiring us to love one another as Christ loved us. It is a profoundly sad day,” Marcos added.
Pope Francis visited the Philippines, the largest Catholic nation in Asia, in 2015. - April 22, 2025
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