Messages of condolence are pouring in from across Nevada after the death of Pope Francis, who in 2023 made the rare move of creating a new American archdiocese in Las Vegas.

Archbishop George Leo Thomas, Las Vegas’ first archbishop, said the pontiff would be “deeply missed.” Francis, the first Latin American pope, died Monday at age 88.

“Pope Francis was a true shepherd of God’s people, a man who lived out his faith with humility, compassion, and courage,” Thomas wrote in a statement. “He taught us all that the Gospel calls us to be people of mercy and love, and that we must work to build a world that reflects these values.”

He added that Francis was “a voice for the voiceless, a champion of the marginalized, and a friend to all who sought his counsel.”

He suffered from chronic lung disease after part of a lung was removed as a young man. He entered the hospital on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia, and at 38 days became the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy.

After his release, the the Argentine-born Francis led the church through the Holy Week services, and made what became a final farewell to the faithful with a ride in his popemobile through St. Peter’s Square Sunday following Easter Mass.

U.S. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., a Catholic, wrote on social media that she was grateful for the pope’s leadership during his tenure.

“I’m deeply saddened by this news, and I join our Church in mourning and prayer for Pope Francis,” Cortez Masto said. “He led the Catholic Church with humility, compassion, and courage. He united us in faith and purpose, and he inspired us to fight for the poor, for migrants, and for the rights of all people.”

Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Democratic House Reps. Dina Titus and Susie Lee, also a Catholic, similarly expressed their condolences online.

“I loved Pope Francis,” Lee wrote. “I am so sad to hear of his passing and my heart goes out to the millions of people who, like me, valued his leadership. The world lost a great leader who put compassion for all humans above all else.”