Washington — President Trump honored Pope Francis after the Vatican announced Monday morning that the pontiff died at the age of 88. "Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!" Mr. Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social.

By the time Francis took over as leader of the Catholic Church in 2013, meetings between the president and the pontiff had become commonplace. During the dozen years that he served as the pontiff, Francis, who died April 21, met each of the three men who served as the U.S. president during his papacy.