VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis died on Monday aged 88, prompting mourning across the Christian world for the energetic reformer who inspired devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists during a 12-year papacy. Mourners gathered, many in tears, in St Peter’s Square, where just a day earlier the frail-looking pontiff had greeted worshippers on Easter Sunday, having recently left hospital following a 38-day battle with double pneumonia.

World leaders paid tribute to Francis’ moral and spiritual leadership and countries began preparations to mark his death, which will now set off a succession scramble among Cardinals to see who next will lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable of condolences to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, in which he expressed his sincere condolences and sincere sympathy on the death of Pope Francis. HH the Amir praised the pontiff’s contributions to spreading and promoting a culture of coexistence, love and peace in the whole world, and the concepts of justice and tolerance among different peoples during his life full of giving, wishing the family of the deceased and his relatives patience and condolences.

Middle Eastern leaders and Arab movements praised Pope Francis for criticizing the Zionist entity’s offensive on Gaza, his calls for a ceasefire and his commitment to interfaith dialogue. Francis spoke of the Gaza war a day before he died, condemning the “deplorable humanitarian situation” in Gaza and reiterating his call for a ceasefire. Members of Gaza’s tiny Christian community said they were “heartbroken” at the death of Pope Francis, who spoke to them on the phone every evening throughout the war. Francis phoned a final time on Saturday night, the pastor of the Holy Family parish, Rev Gabriel Romanelli, told the Vatican News Service. — Agencies