Pope Francis has passed away. Under him, the Roman Catholic Church was more accommodating toward minorities, as well as a voice against inequality and war

The Pope, who had been in hospital for more than a month after suffering bronchitis and pneumonia since mid-February, most recently greeted the faithful briefly during his Easter Sunday sermon, Urbi et Orbi (“To the City and the World”) yesterday. His death has sparked many reactions around the world, with politicians including Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala highlighting his concern for the poor, his faith, and his personality.

“At 7:35 AM, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Lord,” said Cardinal Chamberlain Kevin Farrell, who officially verified the pope’s death. The Cardinal Chamberlain will lead the Vatican until the election of a new pope.

The announcement of the death of Francis, who had led the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, sparked a number of reactions from around the world. French President Emmanuel Macron described the deceased Pope as a man of modesty, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described him as a warm, sensitive man, and the likely next German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, praised the Pope’s care for the weakest.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she wants to continue the path set out by the Pope, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pointed out that the Pope strived for social justice. “With his humility and pure love for the poor, he inspired millions of people far beyond the borders of the Catholic Church,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

European Council President António Costa said that Pope Francis was concerned with “the great global challenges of our time – migration, climate change, inequalities, peace.” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said of the late Pope that “He was a man of deep faith who sought to transform the church so it could better fulfill its mission in contemporary society.”

According to Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, the pope was “a voice of compassion, justice, and hope in a troubled world.” US Vice President J.D. Vance, whom the Pope received on Sunday, has expressed his condolences to the millions of Christians who loved the Pope.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Iranian diplomats, Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, and other politicians from around the world also reacted to the death of Pope Francis. Argentine Cardinal Jorge María Bergoglio was elected Pope in March 2013 following the resignation of Benedict XVI.

The main themes of Pope Francis’ pontificate were concern for the preservation of nature; criticism of “building walls”; criticism of inequalities; a more welcoming attitude towards some minorities, such as LGBT+ people; reform of the functioning of the church; and a welcoming attitude towards migrants. He also criticized the wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine.

Some of Pope Francis’ statements about those wars drew criticism in both Israel and Ukraine as well. He was the first church dignitary from Latin America to become Pope.

Bells rang in Rome shortly after the announcement of the death of Pope Francis. According to the usual scenario, the Pope’s remains will now be prepared for burial in a coffin displayed in St. Peter’s Basilica.

A period of nine days of mourning has started, as have preparations for the funeral and the election of a new pope by the cardinals, who will gather in a conclave. The election process must begin 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death.

No representative of the Roman Catholics from the Czech Republic will be deciding on Francis’ successor. The only Czech cardinal, Dominik Duka, has exceeded the 80-year age limit set for eligibility to cast a ballot during the election of the pope.