SHOTLIST: LONDON, UK (APR. 21, 2025) (ANADOLU – ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF LOWERED VATICAN FLAGS AT WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL 2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PAYING RESPECT TO POPE FRANCIS’ PHOTO AT CATHEDRALLONDON, UK - APR. 21, 2025: Catholics across the United Kingdom gathered in churches on Monday, Apr. 21, to mourn the death of Pope Francis, spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and head of the Vatican. Memorial and condolence spaces were set up in Catholic churches, including at Westminster Cathedral in London, the main Catholic church in England and Wales. Worshippers lit candles, offered prayers, and paid tribute to the late Pope. Photos of Pope Francis were placed in designated remembrance corners, and special midday Masses were held to pray for his soul. Outside Westminster Cathedral, the Vatican flag was lowered to half-mast as a sign of mourning. The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced that national flags on government buildings will also be flown at half-mast until 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Pope Francis died at age 88 after suffering a prolonged illness, the Vatican announced on Monday. He suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis" associated with thrombocytopenia, according to a previous Vatican statement. Francis was born in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents. He studied in Argentina and later in Germany before being ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969. Over a decade into his papacy, Pope Francis remained a figure of admiration and controversy. He sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, tackle corruption, and address some of the Church’s most pressing challenges. While he had been hailed for his humility and commitment to social justice, his leadership had also drawn sharp resistance from conservatives within the Church and beyond.