Pope Francis Dead at 88: Barack Obama, Eva Longoria and More React

"At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Cardinal Kevin Ferrell said in a statement on Monday.

Reports began to surface at the end of February that Francis -- the 266th pope in the Catholic Church's history -- was near death after he was hospitalized with double pneumonia earlier in the month. He was also being treated for bronchitis at the time.

While he addressed the world over Easter weekend and even did one final ride to greet those who came to the Vatican to celebrate Sunday, Francis ultimately succumbed to his illnesses.

Francis, who assumed the role in 2013, was the first Latin American pope and the first Jesuit to be elected to the papacy.

Following news of his death, many took to social media to mourn the pontiff, including former president Barack Obama and Vice President J.D. Vance, who was one of the last people to see the Pope alive.

"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 alongside a photo of the pope visiting him in the White House during his two terms as president.

"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.''

Vance, whose visit garnered a lot of criticism, wrote on X, "I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him."

"I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I'll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful," he continued, sharing a link to one of Francis' many messages. "May God rest his soul."

President Donald Trump also weighed in, first saying "rest in peace," before releasing a lengthy statement on Truth Social in which he said he was ordering the flag of the United States to be flown at half staff today in honor of the pope's passing.

As a mark of respect for the memory of His Holiness Pope Francis, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

King Charles III shared a statement as well, noting that his heart is heavy to learn of the pope's passing.

"My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis. Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry," the British monarch said in a statement.

"His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others. His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many," the statement continued.

The king concluded, "The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month. We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ."

Celebrities also reacted to the news of the pope's death. Desperate Housewives alum Eva Longoria re-posted news of the pope's death with a praying hands emoji before taking to her feed to share an image of her meeting the pope alongside husband, José Bastón.

"Rest in Peace, Your Holiness Pope Francis. Thank you for being an ally to many of us and speaking up for the marginalized. Your compassion, kindness and humility will always be remembered 🤍🕊️," Longoria captioned the post.

Antonio Banderas told his Instagram followers, "Pope Francisco has died — a man who, at the head of the Catholic Church, showed kindness, love, and mercy to the neediest people."

In a statement to Variety, legendary director Martin Scorsese honored the late pope with a touching tribute, touching on their mutual appreciation for art and reflecting on their meetings over the course of his career.

"There is so much that can be said about the significance of Pope Francis and everything he meant to the world, to the church, to the papacy. I will leave that to others," Scorsese told the outlet. "He was, in every way, a remarkable human being. He acknowledged his own failings. He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an ironclad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So he never stopped learning. And he never stopped enlightening. And, he embraced, preached and practiced forgiveness. Universal and constant forgiveness."

He continued, "The loss for me runs deep — I was lucky enough to know him, and I will miss his presence and his warmth. The loss for the world is immense. But he left a light behind, and it can never be extinguished."

See more reactions to the pope's death below: