Yorkshire reflects on the death of Pope Francis

Pope Francis is being remembered throughout Yorkshire as tributes are paid following his death at the age of 88.

At Leeds Cathedral, the Vatican flag is flying at half-mast and a Holy Mass for the repose of his soul was held at 12:30 BST.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Right Reverend Marcus Stock, said the Pope giving an Easter Sunday blessing in St Peter's Square showed he "clearly wanted to be with his people on the most important liturgical day of the church's year".

Other religious leaders, including the Archbishop of York, also paid tribute to the pontiff.

Bishop Stock spoke about meeting the Pope on two occasions along with survivors of sexual abuse, and that seeing him "greet them, talk with them and make them feel so welcome was a lesson in itself for me".

He added: "I think he would have been really upset if he hadn't been able to meet his people on Easter Day.

"I think his lasting legacy will be the care he has shown for the marginalised, the people he called 'on the peripheries'.

"Throughout all his teaching and preaching he has constantly called us to remember the poor, and that will be one of the lasting legacies of his papacy."

On meeting the Pope, the Bishop said: "He was witty. He had a good sense of humour. He didn't like pomp and circumstance. He liked people who made a little fun of themselves in a light-hearted way, not in a cruel way.

"He was clearly a fun-loving man."

Sister Ann Stafford, the leader of The Bar Convent in York, paid tribute to "a special person" who she said "radiated Christ".

She said she welled up with tears when she heard the news of his death.

"People mattered to him," she said.

"He wanted the church to be for the people. He said the church is the people. It is not the clergy, bishops or the cardinals, it is the people of God.

"He was heartbroken by the wars in the world at the moment, in Ukraine and Gaza.

"Every day he phoned a priest in Gaza to encourage him and his community.

"He really was a person of peace and he desired to have peace in the world."

Roisin O'Neil, 18, is part of the Diocese of Hallam and attended a pilgrimage to Rome in October 2023.

"I know young people across the world will be sad today," she said.

"Pope Francis really held young people in his heart and he really championed our contribution to the church."

Speaking about her meeting him in Rome, she said: "He spoke with such passion to encourage young Catholics to become courageous evangelisers.

"I would like the next Pope to be as humble, gentle and passionate as he was."

Benul Rathnam, 24, is an altar server at St Oswald's in Wybourn, Sheffield, and attended the Catholic World Youth Day in Lisbon two years ago.

He said: "It was then that I saw him in a different light.

"He was talking to all the young people. He was always out there with us. You didn't feel he was some high-up person in the .Church.

"He acknowledged everyone in the Church and that was one of the beautiful things about him."

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: "Francis's whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus who comes among us not to be served, but to serve.

"We saw that compellingly in Francis's service of the poor, his love of neighbour – especially the displaced, migrant, the asylum seeker – his deep compassion for the wellbeing of the earth and his desire to lead and build the Church in new ways.

"Francis showed us how to follow Jesus and encouraged us to go and do likewise."

Dr Manoj Joshi, chair of the Bradford District Economic Partnership, offered his condolences "with profound sadness and a heavy heart".

He said: "As a Hindu, I have long admired Pope Francis for his unwavering commitment to the universal values that transcend all religious boundaries.

"His tireless advocacy for compassion, unity and the dignity of every human being deeply resonates with the ancient Hindu philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world is one family.

"His vision of a world where all people – regardless of faith, background or nationality – could live in peace and harmony mirrored the timeless truths embedded in our shared human experience.

"Though the world has lost a great spiritual guide, the light he brought into our lives will continue to shine for generations to come."

Pope Francis was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He had been ill for some time, and was admitted in hospital on 14 February where he was treated for pneumonia.

The Vatican confirmed the pontiff died at 07:35 local time (06:35 BST) on Monday.

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