Tributes poured in from across India for Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff who passed away on Easter Monday, at the age of 88.
Condoling the passing of Francis, who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world.
"Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world," Modi said in a post on X.
"From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope," he said.
Condoling his death, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the Pope "a global voice of compassion, justice, and peace."
"Deeply saddened by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a global voice of compassion, justice, and peace. He stood by the downtrodden and the marginalised, spoke fearlessly against inequality, and inspired millions across faiths with his message of love and humanity," Rahul wrote in a social media post.
"My thoughts are with the Catholic community in India and around the world," he added.
The Goa Church called the demise of Pope Francis a "sad news for the universal church" but also asserted it was a "a moment of giving thanks to God" for providing the leadership of "this great man."
"It is a sad news for the universal church. But at the same time, it is a moment of giving thanks to God. God has led the church for the last almost 12 years now with the leadership of this great man, a man of god. That is why it is also a moment for the church to thank God," Fr Henry Falcao, Director of St Joseph Vaz Renewal Centre at Old Goa, told PTI.
Informing that the mourning period will continue till the funeral takes place, Falcao said it is also a time for the church to pray intensely so that God provides a leader, a new Pope who will guide in these difficult times.
"In these difficult times, the Pope was so vocal. He spoke so much against war. He was a man of peace, he was the man for the poor. It is also a humble prayer of church. These days of mourning are also the days of intense prayer and silence," Falcao said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar condoled the Pope's demise and said his compassion and commitment to building a better world defined his papacy.
"Saddened at the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His compassion and commitment to building a better world defined his papacy," Jaishankar said in a social media post.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also condoled Francis's death.
"Deeply saddened by the passing away of His Holiness Pope Francis. He will be remembered for his remarkable service to the human society, specially poor and the marginalised," he said.
"My thoughts are with the millions around the world who grieve his demise," Singh said.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin remembered Pope Francis as a compassionate and progressive voice.
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis, a transformative figure who led the Catholic Church with empathy and progressive values. He was a compassionate and progressive voice who brought humility, moral courage, and a deep sense of empathy to the papacy," Stalin wrote in a post on X.
"His dedication to the poor, his embrace of the marginalised, and his advocacy for justice, peace, and interfaith dialogue earned him respect far beyond the Catholic world. The legacy he leaves behind is one of compassion in action and faith grounded in humanity," he added.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that Pope's life was a message of love for the poor and hope for the world.
"Deeply saddened by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francisa symbol of peace and compassion. His life was a message of love for the poor and hope for the world. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Christian community across Karnataka and the globe," Siddaramaiah wrote in a post on X.
Condoling his death, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he redefined spiritual leadership with rare courage, embracing the outcast and walking the path of true service.
"Saddened by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and Latin American Pope, whose leadership was defined by humility, compassion, and a deep commitment to the marginalised. He redefined spiritual leadership with rare courage, embracing the outcast and walking the path of true service. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who mourn his loss worldwide," he added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee consoled the death and termed it as "a loss for the humanity."
"Saddened to know of the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope is the highest esteemed authority in the Catholic world and billions of Christians in this planet revere him as the Supreme Pontiff," the CM wrote in a post on X.
"My heart goes out to all my fellow Christian brothers and sisters in India and rest of the world and I feel connected with them all in a profound sense of loss and empathy," she added.
Referring to the Pope's Easter message, delivered just hours before his death, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee wrote, "The passing of His Holiness Pope Francis is not just a loss for Catholics around the world, but also for all of humanity that looked to him as a beacon of courage, tolerance and moral clarity."
"His Easter message- "There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others," will endure as a mirror held up to the conscience of our times. The world mourns a shepherd of empathy in an age of noise," he wrote in a post on X.
