Brussels: Europe mourns the death of Pope Francis, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Monday. Earlier in the day, the Holy See announced that Pope Francis died in the morning.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Metsola expressed her sorrow on X, stating, "Europe mourns the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His contagious smile captured millions of people's hearts across the globe. 'The People's Pope' will be remembered for his love for life, hope for peace, compassion for equality and social justice. May he rest in peace."

Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) bloc and a likely future chancellor, paid tribute to Pope Francis's dedication to the most vulnerable. "Francis will be remembered for his tireless commitment to the weakest in society, to justice and reconciliation. Humility and faith in God's mercy guided him in this," Merz wrote on X.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also extended her condolences to Catholics worldwide. "It is with great sadness that I learned that His Holiness Pope Francis passed away. When we met recently in Rome, I thanked Pope Francis for his strong leadership in protecting the most vulnerable and defending human dignity. I extend my condolences to all Catholics in the world," Kallas expressed on X.

Pope Francis had been discharged from the hospital on March 23 after a five-week treatment for pneumonia, during which he was prescribed long-term therapy and advised to rest for two months.