'Voice for the voiceless': Global tributes pour in to honor Pope Francis after his death

Tributes to Pope Francis poured in from across the globe on Monday after the Vatican announced his death at the age of 88, after prolonged illnesses.

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In a one-line condolence message on his ‘Truth Social’ page, US President Donald Trump wrote, "Rest in Peace, Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!"

Pope Francis was a vocal critic of the Trump administration's policies, including its crackdown on immigrants. U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who held a brief meeting with the Pope on Easter morning, paid tributes to Pope Francis and said his "heart goes out" to the millions of Christians who loved the pontiff.

In a social media post, Vance, a devout Catholic, said he was "happy to see" the Pope on Easter Sunday, "though he was obviously very ill." "I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him," Vance said.

"I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I'll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful," he added.

President Emmanuel Macron of France, a country that is largely Roman Catholic, focused on the pope's impact on the church, writing on X that "From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. For it to unite humans among themselves, and with nature. May this hope forever outlast him."

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was one of the few official visitors to see Francis during his recent hospitalization, alluded to the pope's personal comfort and advice for her, saying "I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his counsel and his teachings, which never failed me, not even in times of trial and suffering."