UK, Irish and Commonweath leaders pay tribute to Pope Francis

King Charles and Queen Camilla recent visit to the Holy Father - Image: Vatican Media

King Charles

The King said he and the Queen were "most deeply saddened" to learn of the Pope's death and "were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month".

Charles and Camilla visited the pontiff at the Vatican on April 9, the day the royal couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.

In a statement on Monday, King 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."

Keir Starmer

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the Pope's leadership of the Catholic Church as "courageous" and coming from a "place of deep humility".

"Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten," Sir Keir said.

"He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost the faith-fuelled hope of a better world."

Scottish First Minister John Swinney

"The Pope's death will cause heartbreak amongst the Catholic community in Scotland and to people around the world who valued his "peacefulness, focus on reconciliation, and spiritual leadership".

"He was a man who was always on the side of the poor, he was always on the side of those who faced injustice and he used his position of leadership of the Catholic community around the world to work for a better world. We're all profoundly grateful for his life."

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micháel Martin said the passing of Pope Francis comes with "a profound sadness".

Micháel Martin said Pope Francis' "long and distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity".

"He spoke out for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed. His solidarity with refugees, his calls for climate action, and his insistence on global peace and equality set him apart as a champion of justice in the modern world."

He added that the Pope holds a "special place in the hearts of Irish people".

"During his visit to Ireland in August 2018 for the World Meeting of Families, he was welcomed with warmth and enthusiasm that spoke volumes about the respect and affection in which he was held by Irish people."

Martin also made reference to Pope Francis' "expression of pain and shame about historic child abuse in the Catholic Church and his outrage about the failure of Church authorities to adequately address these appalling crimes".

"Pope Francis' legacy is his message of peace, reconciliation, and solidarity that lives in the hearts of those he inspired."

Michael D Higgins

Ireland's president Michael D Higgins said Pope Francis' voice "constituted a consistent invocation of a shared humanity" on the "vital issues of our time".

"There was a warmth to Pope Francis and an abolition of any distance between himself and those with whom he was engaged," he added.

Michelle O'Neill

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill said that Catholics "right across the world, including here in Ireland, will feel his loss deeply".

O'Neill recalled Pope Francis' visit to Ireland in 2018 where "he spoke passionately in support of the peace process".

"He also marked the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, giving thanks for the peace it delivered in Ireland," she added.

She said he "showed compassion on LGBT issues and condemned right-wing extremists, and he was ahead of many world leaders in speaking out against the Israeli war in Gaza".

"His efforts to reach out and acknowledge past wrongs should also be recognised."

Mark Carney

The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, who is Catholic, said: "Today, I join Canadians and Catholics around the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome - a shepherd of deep moral clarity, spiritual courage, and boundless compassion. From every corner of the globe, the prayers of the faithful go with Pope Francis as he journeys to his eternal rest.

"Through his teachings and actions, Pope Francis redefined the moral responsibilities of leadership in the 21st century. In Laudato si' (Praised Be), his landmark encyclical, he gave voice to 'the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor', reminding us that ecological degradation and social injustice are deeply intertwined and demand our shared, urgent leadership.

"His vision of fairness between the generations was rooted in concrete calls for action, policy, and personal responsibility. I had the privilege of working alongside His Holiness and his team through his Council for Inclusive Capitalism, and I saw firsthand his unwavering commitment to placing human dignity at the centre of our economic and political systems.

"At the Vatican meeting in 2014, 'The Global Common Good: Towards a More Inclusive Economy', Pope Francis issued a challenge that has guided me ever since. He likened humanity to wine - rich, diverse, full of spirit - and the market to grappa - distilled, intense, and at times disconnected. He called on us to 'turn grappa back into wine', to reintegrate human values into our economic lives.

"His Holiness understood, and taught, that value in the market must never eclipse values in society. He showed us that we must not only measure what we value, but also value what truly matters.

"With his visit to Canada and apology to Indigenous Peoples on residential schools, His Holiness heard from Survivors and their descendants about that system's legacy of searing and enduring pain, and met it with an important step of accountability and healing on the shared path toward reconciliation.

"He extended his papacy to the furthest margins, always attentive to the poor and most vulnerable, as in all aspects of his lifelong service.

"Pope Francis leaves a spiritual and ethical legacy that will shape our collective conscience for generations to come. May we honour his memory by continuing to work for a world that reflects the solidarity, justice, and sustainability that he so powerfully embodied.

"Requiescat in pace."

Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese

Australian Catholics and faithful around the world give thanks for the life of their Holy Father, Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome.

Today, the prayers of more than a billion people - from all nations and every walk of life - go with Pope Francis to his rest.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina in 1936, and ordained a priest in 1969, Pope Francis' fellow cardinals elected him Pope in 2013.

His was a papacy of firsts - the first pope to hail from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name of the great champion of the poor, St Francis of Assisi.

Pope Francis' compassion embraced all humanity. He urged us to remember all we hold in common and asked the world to hear the 'cry of the earth', our common home. He invited world leaders to join him and:

"emerge from the dark night of wars and environmental devastation in order to turn our common future into the dawn of a new radiant day."

It was a message he echoed in our region during his historic visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Timor-Leste.

The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere was 'close to the people of Australia'. For Australian Catholics, he was a devoted champion and loving father.

Pope Francis lived out his faith and vocation in word and deed. In his modest way of life, and at his weekly audiences, he demonstrated his commitment to peace, equality and inclusion.

Pope Francis' love for humanity was powerful and profound. The memory and example of his compassion will long endure.

As we mourn his death, we celebrate the gift of his life and presence among us and we hold on to the resonant truth of Pope Francis' final Easter homily:

"The light quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness; the promise of new life and a world finally set free awaits us; and a new beginning, however impossible it might seem, can take us by surprise, for Christ has triumphed over death."

May God welcome Pope Francis to eternal life.