Visitors take pictures with their phone next to a portrait of Pope Francis at a Church of in the city of Lviv in Ukraine on Monday —AFP VATICAN CITY, Apr 21 (AFP): World leaders remembered Pope Francis as "a beacon of compassion", reacting with sadness after the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics died on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the pope had always been "on the side of the most vulnerable and the most fragile" and that he had stood for "brotherly humankind".
"Pope Francis has returned to the Father's home. It is deeply sad news, because a great man has left us," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
"Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
"I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development."
"Pope Francis' long and distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace and human dignity" Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin said, adding that he would be remembered for his "expression of pain and shame" about historic child abuses in the Catholic Church during his 2018 visit to Ireland. "I am sorry to hear of the death of Pope Francis. His commitment to peace, social justice and the most vulnerable leaves a profound legacy. Rest in peace," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.
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