Whoopi Goldberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, JD Vance and More Pay Tribute to Pope Francis: He Remembered ‘That Christ’s Love Enveloped Believer and Non-Believer’ (2025)

Whoopi Goldberg, Russell Crowe, JD Vance and more have paid tribute to Pope Francis after the Catholic Church leader died on Monday at the age of 88.

Vatican officials confirmed the Pope’s death, with Cardinal Kevin Farrell saying in a statement: “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized.”

Francis had been experiencing health issues lately and was hospitalized in February with bronchitis, which led to double pneumonia and several respiratory crises. However, he was released from the hospital on March 23 and came out of convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless thousands of people on St. Peter’s Square.

Goldberg, who met the Pope in 2023 and again last year, wrote on Instagram that “he was the closest in a long time that seemed to remember that Christ’s love enveloped believer and none [sic] believer. He felt more like Pope John the 23rd who made belief real. Sail on Pope Frances [sic] with your love of humanity & Laughter.”

Leonardo DiCaprio posted a lengthy tribute to Pope Francis on Instagram alongside photos of the two meeting. “Pope Francis was a transformational leader — not only for the Catholic Church, but also for environmental reform and activism,” he wrote, referencing the pope’s 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’.”

“This powerful document served as a clarion call for a fundamental shift in how we relate to the planet,” DiCaprio wrote. “Emphasizing the interconnectedness of all life, Pope Francis urged individuals, communities, institutions, and world leaders to unite in caring for our common home. His words helped catalyze momentum ahead of the global 2015 COP21 conference, ultimately contributing to the formation of the Paris Agreement.”

He recalled meeting with the pope about climate change before filming the documentary “Before the Flood” in 2016, calling the experience “enlightening, deeply moving and thought provoking.”

“Pope Francis was one of the most extraordinary spiritual leaders of our time,” he concluded. “His legacy will continue to inspire generations of environmentalists around the world. May he rest in peace.”

Russell Crowe, who met Pope Francis in 2014, paid tribute on X alongside a photo of the Rome skyline. “A beautiful day in Rome, but a sad day for the faithful,” he wrote. “RIP Francis.”

Antonio Banderas posted a photo on Instagram of him shaking hands with the Pope, writing in the caption: “Pope Francisco has died — a man who, at the head of the Catholic Church, showed kindness, love and mercy to the neediest people.”

After meeting the pope last year, Jimmy Fallon wrote on his Instagram Story: “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.”

Meanwhile, Sylvester Stallone posted photos from his own encounter with the pope and wrote: “A wonderful, wonderful man! Rest in peace holy father!”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who met with Francis on Easter Sunday and was the last government official to visit him, wrote on X that his “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,” he added, linking to a prayer the pope presided over in March 2020. “It was really quite beautiful.”

The White House’s official X account then posted photos of U.S. President Donald Trump and Vance with the pope alongside the caption, “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis.” Trump later added his own statement on Truth Social: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!”

Former U.S. President Joe Biden also paid tribute to Francis with a photo of the two of them meeting. “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,” Biden wrote. “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.”

Former president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama said on Instagram that Francis was “the rare leader who made us want to be better people.”

They continued: “In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another. Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example. May we continue to heed his call to ‘never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope.'”

The U.K.’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla were among the pope’s last high-profile visitors, having met with Francis two weeks ago. In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace (via the BBC), the King said that he and Camilla are “deeply saddened” by his death.

“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,” the statement 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.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also remembered Pope Francis, writing on his social media: “From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. May it unite people with each other and with nature. May this hope continually revive beyond him. My wife and I send our thoughts to all Catholics and to the grieving world.”