Argentina’s leading political figures and leaders from around the world have paid tribute to the life of Pope Francis on Monday following the announcement of the 88-year-old’s death. 

The Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo expressed their “deep sadness” in a statement. “Today, the pope of the poor, of those at the bottom, has passed away. It is up to those of us who remain here to keep his word and example alive. Farewell, Brother Francis!”

“In spite of differences that today seem minor, to have known him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me,” said Argentina President Javier Milei in a post on X. Vice President Victoria Villaruel labelled him “the most important person in [Argentina’s] history.” 

Former President Cristina Kirchner recalled that the first time she met Pope Francis, they bonded over the book “Megafón, o la guerra” (“Megaphone, or the war”), by Argentine writer Leopoldo Marechal. 

“The first time I was with Francis, in March 2013, I told him that, like Megafón, heavenly battles awaited him. He laughed a lot and said, “It’s my favorite book; I love Marechal.”

“He was the face of a more humane Church, grounded and yet looking heavenward. We will miss you, Francisco; our sadness is infinite.”

Another former Argentine president, Mauricio Macri, remarked how the pontiff’s life was “marked by the teachings he gave through his words.”

World leaders have also shared their memories of working alongside Pope Francis during his 12 years as the head of the Catholic Church.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva wrote of how he “practiced and preached in his daily life the love, tolerance, and solidarity which are the basis of Christian teachings.” Uruguay President Yamandú Orsi said: “He passed away perhaps at a time when the world needed him most.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that she had “the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, and his teachings, which never ceased, not even during times of trial and suffering.

In the United States and many places around the world, flags were flown at half-staff. President Trump remarked of Francis’ appreciation for people across the globe. 

“A very good man who loved, loved the world, and he especially loved people that were having a hard time, and that’s good with me,” he said at an Easter event at the White House.

Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, said the pope “was unlike any who came before him,” while Barack Obama wrote that Francis was a “rare leader who made us want to be better people.”