The Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise has paid tribute to Pope Francis following his death this morning.
The pontiff died at 7:35am following his long battle with pneumonia and "complex" health conditions.
Francis has been the head of the Catholic Church since 2013, when he became the first pope from South America.
The "People's Pope" appeared before thousands of well-wishers to give his Easter blessing yesterday, in his first significant appearance since his illness.
Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Paul Connell, reacted to the news:
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The Bishop says Francis made noteworthy contributions to the Catholic Church during his papacy:
