On Monday, President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social to offer condolences for the passing of Pope Francis, who died earlier Monday morning at 88-years-old.
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” Trump wrote.
The Pope’s death was announced in a video shared by the Vatican, shortly after he survived a case of double pneumonia.
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’s TV channel. “At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013, as the first Pope from the United States, the first Jesuit Pope, and the first Pope who was not European in over 1,000 years. This was a shock to many in the church.
He chose the name Francis in order to honor St. Francis of Assisi, who as the founder of the Franciscan order.