Pope Francis died from stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure, the Vatican has announced, around 12 hours after his death was announced.
Francis has been remembered as someone full of compassion, mercy and “irrepressible hope” as Catholics came together to mourn the death of a pontiff hailed by the King and other world leaders.
The 88 year old died on Easter Monday just a day after greeting crowds in Vatican City, drew tributes for his strong advocacy for the poor and marginalised.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols told worshippers at Westminster Cathedral: “We know a voice has fallen silent, a voice that’s been heard in every corner of the world, a voice of warm encouragement and sharp challenge, expressing both the love of God and a deep love of our shared humanity.
“This voice is silent, for a more authoritative voice has spoken – that of his heavenly father, calling him home to be with his lord and master forever.” Francis had resumed some official duties earlier this month during his recovery from double pneumonia.
The Pope made his first public appearance on April 6 since becoming ill, when he appeared in St Peter’s Square in a wheelchair during a special jubilee mass for the sick following his discharge from hospital two weeks previously.
He had spent some time privately with Charles and Camilla on April 9 during their recent trip to Italy, and on Easter Sunday he briefly met Catholic US Vice President JD Vance.
Charles said he and Camilla were “most deeply saddened” to learn of the Pope’s death and “were greatly moved to have been able to visit him” so recently.
In a statement on Monday, Charles said: “Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.
“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.”
Cardinal Nichols said the words mercy and hope had defined Pope Francis’s vocation in the priesthood.
He told those at Westminster Cathedral for the evening requiem mass: “His voice so often called us not to optimism, but to renewed effort to protect those who were without hope, who could see no way forward.
“He was sharply critical of all who ignored the wellbeing of so many and held them to be of no significance in their calculations and actions.
“Constantly, he spoke for those on the margins of society, challenging us with words such as these, ‘if you want to know how successful your economy is, then go and speak to an unemployed person’.
“And of those imprisoned in slavery, those suffering other terrible forms of abuse, he said ‘These are gaping wounds in the flesh of humanity, wounds in the flesh of Christ Himself’.
“He was filled with compassion, mercy, righteous indignation and irrepressible hope, for which we thank God.”
Cardinal Nichols is among those expected to travel to Rome in the coming days as a period of mourning gets under way ahead of the Pope’s funeral and the conclave meeting to elect his successor.
There are currently five cardinals across the UK and Ireland, although only three – Cardinal Nichols, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe and Rome-based Cardinal Arthur Roche – who are younger than 80 and therefore of voting age.
Outside of the Catholic Church, the leaders of other religions also paid tribute to Francis.
The Church of England’s current most senior bishop Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell described the Pope as having been “witty, lively, good to be with”.
He said in a statement: “Pope Francis was acutely aware of the divisions between our churches and how they stand in the way of seeing Jesus Christ more fully.”
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