World bids farewell to Pope Francis 1.4 Billion Catholics Mourn as Pope Dies of Stroke

The bells of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris rang 88 times at 11:00 on Monday, April 21, marking each year of Pope Francis' life in a solemn tribute to the pontiff who passed away earlier that day at the age of 88. 

Notre Dame's press service announced that the commemorative ringing was followed by the grand tolling of all the cathedral's bells, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

A large portrait of the Pope has been placed inside the cathedral, where a series of religious observances are scheduled throughout the day, including a midday mass, another at 18:00, and a vigil prayer at 19:00 in his honour.

Elsewhere in the French capital, tributes continued to pour in. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced that the Eiffel Tower would be switched off on Monday evening to honour the late pontiff. She also suggested that a location in Paris be named after him in recognition of his legacy.

Praising the Pope’s values, Hidalgo said in a statement that he had shown a “commitment to a Church that reaches out to the most vulnerable,” and applauded his efforts to place “ecology at the heart of spiritual and social concerns” as well as his firm advocacy for “welcoming refugees.”

In Spain, the government declared three days of national mourning following the Pope's death. Announcing on April 21, Félix Bolaños, the Minister of Justice and Presidency, underscored the transformative nature of Francis’s papacy.

"We are deeply saddened by the death of a good man and a great Pope," Bolaños said in a solemn statement. He described Francis as a leader whose pontificate “marked a renewal and reformist impetus for the Catholic Church that will leave a mark on history.”

Bolaños paid tribute to the pontiff as “a pope who stood out for his fight against inequality and injustice, for his fight against climate change and for his concern for all those on the periphery.”

“This is why the Spanish Government has always felt close to his mission and values, in particular his defence of peace, always betting on dialogue and diplomatic solutions rather than conflict,” he added.

He also recalled Francis' advocacy for “human rights and international law (...) for migrants and victims of trafficking,” and referenced his moral stance on global conflicts, “the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Palestine and every armed conflict that devastates the planet.”

“He knew perfectly well the reality of our country. He loved us and we loved him and what his reign meant,” the minister concluded.

The Vatican has yet to release a full medical report, but CBS News’ chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook said that Pope Francis had long struggled with serious health issues. “We don’t have a lot of details,” he said. “But the bottom line is, you know, he had all these underlying conditions. He had a stroke, which is [when] you have too little blood supply to the brain. That can cause death in a number of ways, including shutting down the ability— the centers in the brain that allow you to breathe normally, and even the centers that allow the heart to work correctly."

The Pope, who had part of one lung removed in his youth, was particularly vulnerable to respiratory infections. He had been hospitalised for five weeks this past winter after developing double pneumonia.

As the world reflects on his spiritual leadership, the Pope’s final wishes have also been made public. In a testament written prior to his death, Francis asked to be buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.

Full testament: "As I feel the approaching twilight of my earthly life and with unwavering hope in eternal life, I wish to set forth my last wishes only in regard to the place of my burial.

"Throughout my life and during my ministry as a priest and bishop, I have always entrusted myself to the Mother of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and for this reason I ask that my mortal remains rest, awaiting the Day of Judgment, in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

"I wish that my last earthly journey will end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary, where I will always stop to pray at the beginning and end of each Apostolic Journey, entrusting my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and giving thanks for her tender and maternal care."

“I request that my tomb be prepared in the burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the Basilica, as shown on the attached plan.”

Diplomats from the Azerbaijani Embassy in the United Kingdom took part in a solemn requiem mass held at Westminster Abbey in memory of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 after a recent battle with pneumonia.

In a statement shared on social media, the embassy expressed its deep condolences, describing the occasion as “a great honour” and paying tribute to the late pontiff.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, made history as the first Jesuit and first Pope from the Americas. He was elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013.

By Aghakazim Guliyev