Crowds of mourners gathered at Westminster Cathedral in central London to pay tribute to Pope Francis, after his death was announced by the Vatican on Monday morning. Father Patrick van der Vorst led a morning service addressing the Pope’s “symbolic” passing on Easter Monday.

Mourners entered, filing past a commemorative display lined with candles around a photo of the late pontiff. “He was always there to serve the poor”, Father van der Vorst told the congregation. Barbara Keeley, the Labour peer and former frontbench MP, spoke to the PA news agency as she left the cathedral. “During a time of war in the world, he was a voice for peace and supporting those who are suffering,” she said.

Having risen from humble beginnings, Pope Francis became the first Latin-American pontiff in 2013. He was known for driving the church in a more progressive direction during his tenure, clashing at times with traditionalists in the Vatican.
Catholic churchgoers at Westminster Cathedral were joined by mourners from a wide range of faiths and backgrounds paying their respects.

Patrick Somerville, 87, from Westminster, noted the diversity of those present, saying: “He (Pope Francis) has had a worldwide impact on all leaders and all peoples.

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