Former President Barack Obama (D) said Monday he and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, are mourning the death of Pope Francis.
Obama’s comments came after the Vatican announced early Monday the pope had died at the age of 88 in Rome.
“Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound — embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners — he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another,” Obama wrote in a social media post.
“Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world — Catholic and non-Catholic alike — who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example. May we continue to heed his call to ‘never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope,'” the former president added:
Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple…
Posted by Barack Obama on Monday, April 21, 2025
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump also offered condolences after learning of the Catholic spiritual leader’s death, per Breitbart News.
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” Trump wrote in a social media post:
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 21, 2025
The Catholic leader, who was a native of Argentina, became pope in 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.
“The late pope had been plagued by poor health in recent years. He met briefly with Vice President JD Vance and his family Sunday evening in a hotel room after delegating the celebration of mass to another cardinal due to his illness,” the Breitbart News report said.
In light of his passing, a papal conclave will soon be convened to elect a spiritual leader, the outlet said.
“Surrounded by Michelangelo’s world-famous paintings, the 137 cardinal electors will attend a centuries-old College of Cardinals meeting in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel,” the article noted, adding, “The term conclave comes from the Latin phrase cum clave, meaning ‘with a key.’ Papal succession has evolved considerably since the early church and current rules of this procedure were not codified until the early 20th century.”
