King Charles "deeply saddened" to hear of Pope Francis death
King Charles and the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster have paid tribute to the late Pope Francis.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.
In response, a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster released the following statement.
“It is with great sadness that we learned this morning of the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, following a period of ill-health.
“Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis made a brief appearance at St Peter's Square to bless thousands of people gathered in Rome to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.
“May he now rest in the peace of the Risen Christ whose faithful servant he has been. We are deeply grateful for the life and service of Pope Francis.
“While we mourn his loss, we are thankful for his steadfast witness and legacy. His life of discipleship, and then leadership, within the Church saw him accept responsibility from the Lord as a Jesuit, a priest, a bishop, and finally as successor to St Peter.
“His firm resolve and challenging teaching on issues including care for creation, the sexual abuse of children, and insights into intimacy of human relationships, saw the Pope broaden opportunities for dialogue within the Church, and with people and groups from outside of the Catholic Church.”
They added: “Masses for the repose of the Pope’s soul will be offered across the churches of our Diocese in the coming days. We entrust Pope Francis to the Father of all mercies and pray for the happy repose of his soul.
“Please remember Pope Francis in your prayers.”
At 6.30pm an Evening Prayer for the Dead will be recited in the Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster, followed by a Requiem Mass at 7pm to which all are invited.
Following this, the cathedral bell ringers will ring a quarter peal muffled.
An announcement will follow in due course regarding a diocesan mass in the cathedral, to which ecumenical and civic guests will be invited.
Many tributes from around the world have been pouring in, including from King Charles III who met with the Pope privately earlier this month during his state visit to Italy.
The King said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of his death, adding: "His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others."