World leaders pay tribute after the death of Pope Francis

Pope Francis made appearances during Holy Week and Easter weekend

King Charles and the UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have joined world leaders in paying tribute to Pope Francis who has died aged 88.

The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church and for the approximately 1.4 billion Roman Catholics represents a direct link to Jesus.

He died at his residence in the Vatican City, where Popes traditionally live and work.

The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world and is surrounded by the Italian capital, Rome.

The 266th Pope, Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina in 1936 and was elected to lead the Catholic Church in March 2013.

King Charles said he "will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith."

What have world leaders being saying about the Pope?

King Charles and Queen Camilla met with Pope Francis during a trip to Italy in April 2025

Pope Francis had been in ill health for many weeks and had spent a lot of time in hospital.

His death came a day after he wished "Happy Easter" to worshippers at the Vatican's St Peter's Square.

The UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: "His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy."

King Charles said: "The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month."

At Easter thousands of Catholics gather at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

French President Emmanuel Macron was one of the first leaders to react to the news, calling Pope Francis a "man of humility".

US President Donald Trump posted a message on social media saying "Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!" and the White House shared a photo of President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meeting the Pope in 2017.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Pope Francis' "affection for the people of India will always be cherished".

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez paid tribute to Pope Francis's commitment to the "most vulnerable" and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the news "saddens us deeply," adding: "I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said "he inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate".

Egypt's President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said Pope Francis "was a voice of peace, love and compassion".

Cardinal Farrell who announced his death on behalf of the Vatican said "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church."

Who is the Pope?

The Pope is the leader of the Catholic church, and leads over a billion Roman Catholics worldwide.

There have been Popes since the early days of the Christian church and they have played a big role in European and world history.

The role is considered to be the successor of Saint Peter, one of the Christian Church's early leaders and one of the 12 apostles of Jesus.

The Pope is also in charge of the smallest independent state in the world, the Vatican city, which sits within the city of Rome in Italy.

What does the Pope do?

About half of all Christians worldwide are Roman Catholics and consider the Pope to be their leader.

Many Catholics would turn to the Pope as well as the Bible for guidance but other Christians do not recognise the Pope's authority.

The role of the Pope includes leading religious ceremonies in the Vatican and appointing Bishops.

The Pope should also meet at least every five years with more than 5,000 bishops from around the world.

What happens when the Pope dies?

After the funeral people will be able to pay their respects in St Peter's Basilica

After the Pope's funeral, Pope Francis' body will be placed in an open coffin in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City for members of the public to pay their respects for several days.

Pope Francis will be the first Pope for over 100 years to be buried outside of the Vatican.

Instead he will be buried at the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of four major Catholic churches in Rome.

The period after the Pope's death and the election of a new Pope is called the interregnum.

How is a new Pope chosen?

The process of choosing a new pope is done in secret but members of the public are given clues to whether a decision has been made by the colour of the smoke which is released

The new pope is elected by the Catholic church's most senior priests, called cardinals.

They travel from all over the world to the Vatican for what is known as the Conclave: a meeting where they vote for who should be the next Pope.

There are currently 252 Catholic cardinals, and 135 of them are able to vote for the new pope.

A cardinal needs two thirds of votes to become Pope. The process can take several days.

Although the vote is done in complete secrecy, people outside are given clues to what is happening, because of the smoke that is released twice a day from the burning of the cardinals' ballot papers.

If the smoke is black, no Pope has been elected, but if the smoke is white a new Pope has been chosen.