Pope Francis dies at age 88 due to stroke, Vatican says

Australia's political leaders have paid tribute to Pope Francis, as the country's main parties paused election campaigning on Tuesday.

Early voting ahead of the May 3 federal election begins Tuesday.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended a mass to pay tribute to the pope at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne. 

He said government flags would fly at half mast to honor the late pontiff, who died Monday morning aged 88.

At a press conference, Albanese said Francis "was one of the most consequential leaders of this century and of our lifetime. He was, indeed, the people's Pope." 

The prime minister added that he had paused campaigning on Tuesday morning.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton also confirmed he was suspending campaign activities for the day, saying it was not the time for "big politicking," public broadcaster ABC reported. 

A TV debate between Albanese and Dutton slated for Tuesday night is expected to go ahead.

Masses are planned in Australia, New Zealand and across the Pacific region to pray for Pope Francis following his death.

Four cardinals from Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Papua New Guinea are due to travel to Rome to take part in the conclave to select the next pope.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of Japan expressed his condolences late on Monday following the death of Pope Francis, as he remembered him as a defender of the environment and diplomacy in the name of peace.

"The demise of Pope Francis is not only a great loss for the people of the Vatican and Catholics, but also for the international community," Ishiba said in a statement.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Janja will attend Pope Francis' funeral, the Brazilian government said Monday. 

The announcement comes hours after Lula declared a seven-day mourning period for Argentina-born Francis, the first pope from Latin America.

"Although today is a day of great sadness, let us forever remember the joy of Pope Francis. The smile that illuminated everything and everyone," Lula said.

"In his farewell, he renewed faith in human beings and foresaw a better future for humanity," Lula added.

Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world. 

According to the Vatican, 182 million people in Brazil are Catholic — around 86% of the total population of approximately 212 million. 

Monday's games in Italy's top soccer league, Serie A, were postponed following the announcement by the Vatican of Pope Francis' death.

The Argentinian pontiff was an avid sports fan, and was particularly fond of soccer, which he saw as a vehicle to spread peace and offer education. Francis often recalled playing soccer as a young boy, using a ball made from rags.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he was "deeply saddened" over the pope's death, adding: "I was privileged enough to spend some time with him on a couple of occasions, and he always shared his enthusiasm for football and stressed the important role our sport plays in society." 

Argentinian national soccer captain Lionel Messi took to Instagram to say the pope was different to those who came before him. He wrote: "Thank you for making the world a better place. We will miss you."

Meanwhile, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach also paid tribute to the 88-year-old's support of the Olympic Games.

"Francis' support for the peace and solidarity mission of the Olympic Games and the many refugee initiatives of the IOC has been unwavering," Bach said.

Africa's most populous Roman Catholic nation, the Democratic Republic of Congo, hailed Pope Francis  as a "voice for the voiceless". 

Francis visited the country in 2023, as people flocked to Kinshasa's Our Lady of the Congo Cathedral to pay their respects ahead of a special mass for the pontiff.

DR Congo has a population of around 100 million people and some estimates say at least 40 million are Catholics, while the Vatican estimates nearly 50 million are. This makes it, according to the Pew Research Center, the country with the fifth largest number of Catholics, after the United States, Philippines, Mexico and Brazil.

Although the country is rich in natural resources it is also one of the world's poorest and has been wrecked by decades of conflict, especially with the paramilitary group M23.

The humanitarian disaster left by decades of violence saw the pope call for peace, as his words against corruption and the exploitation of the country's mineral wealth by foreign countries deeply resonated with the population.

Pope held open-air mass for millions in DR Congo

The visit by Pope Francis in February 2023 remains a landmark for many Congolese as more than one million people attended his open-air mass in Kinshasa.

At the time he spoke against "economic colonialism" and said Africa "was not a mine to be exploited, nor a land to be plundered."

Father Camille Esika, the Kinshasa Cathedral's rector, said that Pope Francis drew the world's attention to "forgotten suffering" in DR Congo and beyond.

US President Donald Trump said he will go to Pope Francis' funeral in Rome, in what would be the first trip since his second term began in January. 

The exact date of Francis' funeral is still unclear, but it will likely take later this week. The funeral service for a pope typically occurs between the fourth and sixth day after his passing, which would fall between Friday, April 25 and Sunday, April 27.  

Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform. First Lady Melania Trump is also set to go on the trip.

Although Trump called the late pontiff a "good man" who "worked hard and loved the world," Francis had often criticized the president.

During Trump's first presidential run in 2016, he ran on the promise to build a wall with Mexico to curb migration. Francis shot back at that proposal: "Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian."

More recently, Francis had criticized Trump's deportation policies as a "calamity."

The Vatican held a recitation of the rosary at St. Peter's Square after the passing of Pope Francis.

It was the first public commemoration since the pope's death was announced. 

Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica Cardinal Mauro Gambetti recited the rosary prayer.  

Mourners are gathering at St. Peter's Square as night falls. 

DW spoke with William Shomali, a Palestinian Catholic prelate who serves as auxiliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, following Francis' death. Shomali described Francis as a "great man."

"He was supporting the poorest, the underprivileged, the refugees everywhere," Shomali said. 

"He was supporting the community of Gaza," Shomali said, while adding that he "used to call every day."

Francis kept in close contact with a Roman Catholic parish in Gaza City amid Israel's ongoing military campaign and fighting with Hamas. 

"We cannot forget that from the human point of view, he was very close to the people of the Holy Land," Shomali said.  

“He wrote a letter last year, 7th of October, to the Christians of the Middle East, telling them how they should be proud to live in the Middle East, where there are the rules of Christianity and you have to be patient," Shomali said. "There will be a solution to your issues, but they don't come in the same day.You have to pray. He used to talk as a father and we lost a father. So this is the other side of the icon.” 

Shomali said that although Pope Francis has gone, "his words remain."

"And we pray now that the future Pope will be a man of peace and will know very well the suffering of the two people here. And he can say the good word to politicians and to pray to us. We trust the Lord that we will not be forgotten in the future," Shomali said.     

The Vatican has revealed that Pope Francis had died of a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure. 

Francis was in a coma before his death in the Vatican early on Monday morning at 07:35 (05:35 GMT).

The Vatican said the 88-year-old's death was confirmed with an echocardiogram. His death came almost a month after he was released from the hospital due to double pneumonia.

According to Francis' spirtual will and testament, Pope Francis wishes to buried at Rome's Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. He had asked to be buried "in the ground, without particular decoration" but with the inscription "Franciscus." 

The cost of Francis' burial will be covered by a sum provided by a unknown benefactor.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he joins the world "in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a messenger of hope, humility and humanity." 

"Pope Francis was a transcendent voice of peace, human dignity and social justice," Guterres said, while expressing "deepest condolences to Catholics and all those around the world inspired by his extraordinary life and example." 

Speculation is already starting about most likely candidates to succeed Pope Francis as the next pontiff and pastoral leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. The conclave of cardinals has the final say. 

Read here for a DW analysis of who might next lead the Catholic Church

US President Donald Trump put out a proclamation mandating that US flags be flown at half-staff to honor Pope Francis after his passing. 

The flag will not only be lowered at the White House and public and military properties but also on naval vessels and US embassies abroad. 

"He was a good man, worked hard. He loved the world," Trump said about Francis. Trump made the comments while participating in an Easter Egg roll event at the White House.   

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is a Catholic, earlier said in the day that he was "saddened" by the pontiff's death.  

Multiple Arab leaders also paid their respects to the legacy of Pope Francis after his passing. 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissicalled Francis "a voice of peace, love and compassion." 

Jordan's King Abdullah II said the pope's legacy "will live on in his good deeds and teachings."

"Deepest condolences to our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. Pope Francis was admired by all as the Pope of the People," the king said. "He brought people together, leading with kindness, humility and compassion."

Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called Francis a "faithful friend of the Palestinian people."

Lebanese Christian President Joseph Aoun said Francis "was a powerful voice for justice and peace." 

Morocco's King Mohammed VI said he learned of Francis' passing with "great sorrow." He said the "world has lost an eminent religious figure, who dedicated his life to serving lofty human ideals and common values rooted in faith, freedom, peace, love and solidarity among different peoples"  

Both Pope Francis' native Argentina and neighboring Brazil declared seven days of mourning after his death.

Argentine President Javier Milei "will declare seven days of mourning for the passing of the holy father,"   said his aide Manuel Adorni. This act of respect for the late pope in his homeland comes despite populist Milei disparaging Francis as an "imbecile" and the devil's representative on Earth during his presidential campaign. Milei later apologized for his remarks.

  

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Brazil will also mourn in memory of the pope and "in homage to his work."

"Humanity loses today a voice of respect and welcome for others," Lula said in a statement. "May God comfort those who today, everywhere in the world, suffer the pain of this enormous loss."

There are plenty of possible successors to Pope Francis — the first Latin American pope — with contenders coming from Asia, Africa, North America and Europe.

Some consider Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, dubbed the "Asian Francis" to be the favorite, but the field is wide open.

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin seen as a potential bridge between various factions inside the Catholic Church. His election would return the papacy to Italy after three non-Italians.

Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson would, if chosen, be the first sub-Saharan African pontiff.

Other potential candidates hail from France, Spain, Hungary, Malta and the US.

Popes are elected in a secretive and highly ritualized process called a conclave, held in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and typically about 120 of them participate.