Leaders and religious figures from Latin America to the Arab world have expressed their condolences following the passing of Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted a brief message on his Truth Social platform, said, “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte wrote that the pope’s “dedication to peace and compassion has been an inspiration to millions.”

Argentina, the pope’s birthplace, announced seven days of national mourning.

“It is with deep sadness that I learned this morning that Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio, passed away today (on Monday) and is now resting in peace,” Argentinian President Javier Milei said in a post on X.

“In spite of the differences that seem minor today, it was a great honour for me to know him in his goodness and wisdom.”

Ultra-liberal Milei had a strained relationship with the pope.

Before he took office, Mr Milei had called Francis a “fool” and a “son of a bitch” and claimed he was promoting communism.

Neighbouring Brazil, home to the world’s largest Catholic community, also announced seven days of mourning to mark the death of the first pope to hail from Latin America.

“Humanity is losing a voice of respect and charity today. Pope Francis lived and propagated in his daily life the love, tolerance, and solidarity that are the foundation of Christian teachings,” President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wrote on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility, and spiritual courage by millions across the world.”

The archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge García Cuerva, honoured Francis as “the pope of the poor, of those pushed to the edges, of those whom no one wants, of the marginalised, has left us.”

Leaders and movements across the Arab world, from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Palestinian extremist group Hamas, also honoured Francis.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, president of the United Arab Emirates, extended his “deepest condolences to Catholics around the world.”

Francis “dedicated his life to promoting the principles of peaceful coexistence and understanding,” he wrote on X. “May he rest in peace.”

(dpa/NAN)