The Archbishop of York has paid tribute to Pope Francis as a "holy man of God" who was "also very human".
In a statement, Stephen Cottrell said: "Francis's whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus who comes among us not to be served, but to serve.
"We saw that compellingly in Francis's service of the poor, his love of neighbour, especially the displaced, migrant; the asylum seeker, his deep compassion for the well-being of the earth and his desire to lead and build the church in new ways."
Acknowledging the pontiff's efforts in working alongside the Church of England, Mr Cottrell recalled Pope Francis' historic trip to South Sudan in 2023 alongside former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Reverend Dr Iain Greenshields.
Mr Cottrell said: "Pope Francis was acutely aware of the divisions between our churches and how they stand in the way of seeing Jesus Christ more fully.
"I remember, in the brief times spent with him, how this holy man of God, was also very human. He was witty, lively, good to be with, and the warmth of his personality and interest in others shone out from him."
