New Mexico responds to Pope Francis death: Services, news and other updates

Pope Francis died Monday at the Vatican's Casa Santa Maria. He was 88. This story will collect tidbits of news, services and other items from around New Mexico.It will be updated throughout the day. Email web@abquournal.com to share a news item.

2:45 pm. — visitors pay their respects: A steady stream of tourists and visitors alike have made their way to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in downtown Santa Fe to quietly pray for Pope Francis.

Dennis Brandon of Santa Fe said he is not Catholic, but said it was worth pausing to reflect on the late pope's legacy.

"He was unique in so many ways," Brandon said in an interview. "He created a sense of positive faith in people from all walks of life."

12 p.m. — church bells ring: The bells of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe tolled 88 times at noon Monday to honor Pope Francis, who died earlier in the day at age 88.

11:23 a.m. — mass in Santa Fe: A memorial mass for Pope Francis is scheduled for today at 6 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe.

Prior to today's mass, the doors of the cathedral will be draped in black at 11:30 a.m., said a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. At noon, the bells of the cathedral will toll 88 times.

The cathedral will be open from noon until the 6 p.m. mass.

Flags also will be flown at half-staff throughout New Mexico until sunset on the day of the Pope's internment, according to a statement released by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office.

"Pope Francis embodied values that resonate deeply with New Mexicans - compassion for the marginalized, dignity for the forgotten, and grace extended to all," Lujan Grisham said in the statement.

"I invite all New Mexicans, regardless of faith tradition, to reflect on Pope Francis's legacy of compassion and to answer his call to build a more just, more merciful world," she said.

11:21 a.m. — what they're saying: New Mexico leaders mourned the death of Pope Francis Monday and reflected on his life. Here's what they said.