Icelandic President pays tribute to Pope Francis

President of Iceland Halla Tómasdóttir paid tribute to Pope Francis today following news of his death, calling him “an important leader” whose legacy should live on in global leadership.

In a message shared on social media, President Tómasdóttir offered her condolences and reflected on the pope’s enduring values. Notably, she referred to him by his international title “Pope Francis,” rather than the Icelandic “Frans páfi.”

“I share my sincere condolences on the passing of Pope Francis. The world has lost an important leader who always put love and care for the least fortunate first and encouraged responsible leadership. May those emphases live on in the work of all of us,” she wrote.

Pope Francis died this morning at the age of 88. Leaders worldwide have expressed their condolences and remembered his influence on the Catholic Church and global affairs.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was elected on March 13, 2013, becoming the first pope from South America and the first Jesuit to assume the role. He chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, emphasizing humility and compassion.

Before his papacy, he served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998 and was elevated to cardinal in 2001. Though born in Argentina, Francis was of Italian heritage—his father having emigrated from Italy in the early 20th century.

He succeeded Pope Benedict XVI, who had made the unprecedented decision to resign in February 2013. Francis had previously been considered a strong candidate in the 2005 conclave that ultimately elected Joseph Ratzinger as Benedict XVI.

Update

The wording of a post by Icelandic President Halla Tómasdóttir where she mentioned Pope Francis has been corrected.

It was noted that although the post was in Icelandic, Halla called the Pope "Pope Francis" but did not use his Icelandic name, "Frans páfi". This has now been corrected.