Pope Francis death latest: King Charles leads tributes after head of Catholic church dies aged 88

Churchgoers at Westminster Cathedral in central London have paid tribute to the late Pope at their Easter Monday service.

Father Patrick van der Vorst, who led the service, said it was “symbolic that he died on Easter Monday”.

“He was always there to serve the poor”, he added.

Barbara Keeley, the Labour peer and former frontbench MP, told the PA news agency after the mass: “During a time of war in the world, the Pope was a voice for peace and supporting those who are suffering.”

Parishioner Patrick Somerville, 87, from Westminster, said: “He has had a worldwide impact on all leaders and all peoples.

“I spoke this morning to my newsagent who told me his mother, who is a Hindu, loved Pope Francis, and I think that says it all.

“He brought love to the whole world in a humble way.”

Requiem masses for the repose of the soul of the late Pope Francis are expected to be held in Catholic cathedrals across England and Wales.

A mass will be held at Westminster Cathedral in London at 5:30pm on Monday.

Prayer cards have been distributed to Catholic parishes throughout the two countries, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said.

Pope Francis was credited for adopting a less formal approach to the papacy.

After his election, he took a bus back to his hotel rather than being driven in the papal car, before he visited a Cardinal in hospital the next day – where he chatted with patients and staff.

He was willing to engage more women in senior roles within the Catholic Church and has long argued that the Church should be sympathetic to the LGBTQ+ community – while calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality around the world.

The pontiff has also been a critic of unshackled capitalism and put climate change action front-and-centre of much of his papacy.

On the international stage, he played a crucial diplomatic role in a tumultuous decade, weighing in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Russia-Ukraine war, the plight of refugees worldwide, and notably playing a crucial role in the restoration of US-Cuban relations in 2014.

He also called on countries in the West to significantly increase the number of refugees they took in.

Pope Francis condemned Gaza’s “deplorable humanitarian situation” as he reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in his final Easter Sunday message read aloud by an aide.

The pontiff, 88, made a brief appearance on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday.

From the moment a pope passes, a meticulously choreographed sequence of rites and rituals unfolds, preceding the conclave that will ultimately choose his successor.

These ceremonies, steeped in tradition, encompass the formal confirmation of death, the public viewing of the papal remains, the funeral Mass, and finally, burial.

Below, we explain the process from the Pope’s death to his burial:

The Union flag will be flown half mast at royal residences where the King is not in residence.

Sombre music will played at the Changing the Guard ceremony to reflect “the sadness of the occasion”, a royal source said.

A member of the royal family is expected to attend the Pope’s funeral, if the Vatican is in agreement, but it is too early to say who will travel to pay their respects.

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the late Pope after his passing on Monday.

“I join millions around the world in grieving the death of His Holiness Pope Francis,” the British prime minister said.

“His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility.

“Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world.

“That hope was as the heart of his papacy. His determination to visibly live out his faith inspired people across the world to see afresh the church’s teachings of mercy and charity.

“With his death, we are reminded once more of his call to care for one another across different faiths, backgrounds, nations and beliefs.

“My thoughts are with Catholics across the world, and the Roman Catholic church. May His Holiness Rest in Peace.”