Pope Francis Remembered by Whoopi Goldberg, Vice President JD Vance & Others

The world is mourning the death of Pope Francis, who died Monday at 88 following a battle with pneumonia.

Many celebrities paid homage to the late pontiff, praising his work.

Whoopi Goldberg shared a photo from one of their meetings, and wrote, “He was the closest in a long time that seemed to remember that Christ’s love enveloped believer and non believer. He felt more like Pope John the 23rd who made belief real. Sail on Pope Frances with your love of humanity & Laughter.”

Leonardo DiCaprio wrote, "Pope Francis was a transformational leader — not only for the Catholic Church, but also for environmental reform and activism... During the filming of my documentary Before the Flood in 2016, I had the honor of sitting down with Pope Francis for a conversation on the urgent need to address climate change. That experience was enlightening, deeply moving and thought provoking."

Martin Scorsese said in a statement to Variety, "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.”

The legendary director 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.”

Sylvester Stallone paid tribute with photos from his meeting the pope and the message, "A wonderful, wonderful man! Rest in peace holy father!"

Jimmy Fallon recalled his meeting with pope, writing, "It was an honor meeting Pope Francis last summer. I’m glad I made you laugh. Thank you for your encouraging words. Rest in peace.

Russell Crowe posted on X, “A beautiful day in Rome, but, a sad day for the faithful. RIP Francis.”

Gloria Estefan reflected, "Rest in peace and power, Pope Francis, you opened hearts and minds were fearless in your guidance. Thank you for putting love first until your last moments on this earth. ✌️✝️🌻"

Eva Longoria shared photos of her and husband José Bastón meeting Francis and wrote, "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 🤍🕊️"

Antonio Banderas wrote, “Pope Francisco has died — a man who, at the head of the Catholic Church, showed kindness, love, and mercy to the neediest people.”

Jessica Alba posted, "Pope Francis was truly a courageous and transcendent leader whose unconditional love and compassion moved the world. May his legacy of love, service, and hope continue to live on and guide us. Rest in peace 🤍 Rest in power 🙏🏽🕊️ #PopeFrancis"

Donatella Versace posted on her Instagram Stories, “Rest In Peace His Holiness Pope Francis.”

President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social, "Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!"

Vice President JD Vance, who met with Pope Francis the day before he died, posted, “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. May God rest his soul.”

President Joe Biden posted on X, “It is with great sadness that Jill and I learned of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. He was unlike any who came before him. Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him. For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased. As Pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths. He commanded us to fight for peace and protect our planet from a climate crisis. He advocated for the voiceless and powerless. He made all feel welcome and seen by the Church. He promoted equity and an end to poverty and suffering across the globe. And above all, he was a Pope for everyone. He was the People's Pope - a light of faith, hope, and love.”

King Charles shared in a statement on X, “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.”

He continued, “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 monarch ended with, “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.”

Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew's ex-wife, wrote on Instagram Stories, “No better example of total humility in kindness and compassion. Thank you for leading us with not just your words, but with your unwavering service to humanity.”