Following the death of Pope Francis, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos took to social media to join the mourning Catholic faithful.

The First Lady recalled her interaction with the Supreme Pontiff, describing the encounter as a “blessing.”

“Met a saint on earth. Now heaven welcomes him home,” she wrote. “To have met Pope Francis was a blessing I will always carry in my heart.”

She expressed her gratitude to the head of the Catholic Church.

“His words were soft, but his message was mighty: mercy, humility, and love above all,” she said.

“Rest in eternal peace, Santo Papa.

Thank you for being a light in our time,” she added.

The Marcos family met Pope Francis in 2014 in Rome.

Followers of Mrs. Marcos echoed her grief, sharing their thoughts on the passing of the beloved leader of over 1.39-billion Catholics.

“Pope Francis, you reminded us that true greatness lies in serving others. Your gentle spirit uplifted millions. Thank you for your life of love,” one user said.

“You are an inspiration to so many. Thank you for everything, Pope Francis,” another user wrote.

“The world will miss your kindness, Pope Francis. We love you,” another said.

According to the Vatican, 88-year-old Francis died of a stroke and heart failure on Monday, 22 April. He had just been released from the hospital where he spent 38 days being treated for pneumonia.