Shillong, April 21: Just yesterday, on Holy Easter Sunday, the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, waved to crowds from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, despite still recovering from a serious illness.

However, this morning at 7:35 am, Vatican Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced that Pope Francis is no more.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “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. 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. I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace.”

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… pic.twitter.com/QKod5yTXrB

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 21, 2025

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma wrote, “I am deeply saddened by the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis. As the Head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope led by example. He was truly a People’s Pope, and his life embodied humility, love, and compassion, which has inspired countless souls. His Papacy will be remembered and cherished as he advocated for peace across the world. I also recall with nostalgia the historic moment I met with the Pope at the Vatican in December 2022, where I requested him to pray for the state, the nation and its people. Today, we have lost the Shepherd of the Church, a Global Leader, and the People’s Pope. But his life will be an inspiration to all of us. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”

I am deeply saddened by the demise of His Holiness Pope Francis. As the Head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope led by example. He was truly a People’s Pope, and his life embodied humility, love, and compassion, which has inspired countless souls. His Papacy will be… pic.twitter.com/ENuSGSU8rd

— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) April 21, 2025

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “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. My thoughts are with the Catholic community in India and around the world.”

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.

My… pic.twitter.com/2UeQhA1KFW

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 21, 2025

TMC leader 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.”

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…

— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) April 21, 2025

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor wrote, “Mourning the passing of Pope Francis — A Man of His Word, who died on Easter Monday at 88, according to a Vatican announcement. A great loss to humanity. Pope Francis was a man of great compassion, breadth of knowledge and depth of experience, who brought a humane understanding to the problems of ordinary people around the world. May his great soul rest in peace.”

Farewell to a pontiff who redefined compassion and humility for our times.#RIPPopeFrancis pic.twitter.com/guIyApruiv

— DrTharoor_supporter (@INCTharoorian) April 21, 2025

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