Moscow, April 22 -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed condolences over the death of Pope Francis.

"I express my deepest condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. The Pontiff was an extraordinary spiritual leader who spared no effort to promoting the noble ideals of humanism, justice and compassion," Tokayev said in a statement on Monday.

The Kazakh leader noted that he warmly recalls his meetings with the Pope and his "historic apostolic visit to Kazakhstan in 2022, which stood as a powerful symbol of tolerance and mutual understanding."

On Monday, the Holy See announced that Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell,...