The Argentine-born pontiff, who headed the Catholic Church for 12 years, died at 7:35 a.m. on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta, according to an official announcement.
In a powerful tribute, Poland's 16th-century Royal Sigismund Bell rang out at noon in the southern city of Kraków, its sound echoing throughout the area, news outlets reported.
The iconic 13-tonne bell, one of Poland's national symbols, sounds only on rare and solemn occasions—primarily religious or national in significance.
Photo: PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
Earlier in the day, top Polish leaders paid tribute to the late pontiff, calling him "a great apostle of mercy" and "a good, warm and sensitive man."
The Polish foreign ministry said: "The Holy Father united the hearts of millions with his kindness."
Pope Francis had been suffering from serious respiratory problems after a bout of double pneumonia earlier this year.
He was hospitalised for 38 days in February and March at Rome's Gemelli Hospital after experiencing breathing difficulties.
In 1957, while in his early 20s, Francis underwent lung surgery in Argentina following a severe respiratory infection, the Vatican News reported.
In recent years, he frequently struggled with recurring respiratory illnesses.
The pope died just hours after making an appearance in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for Easter Sunday celebrations.
The Royal Sigismund Bell, installed at Kraków's Wawel Cathedral in 1521, has long accompanied the Polish nation during pivotal moments in its history.
Kraków's Wawel Cathedral. Photo: PAP/Art Service
It has rung to mark events such as the outbreak of World War II, Poland's EU accession in 2004, visits from Polish-born Pope John Paul II, and the funerals of prominent figures.
It also tolled on April 10, 2010, following the tragic air crash near Smolensk, western Russia, that claimed the lives of Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife Maria and 94 others.
Warsaw basilica bells to toll 88 times on Wednesday
Meanwhile, the Warsaw Archdiocese announced that the bells of the capital's Basilica of St. John the Baptist would toll 88 times—symbolising each year of Francis' life—ahead of a special Mass in his memory on Wednesday evening.
The service will be led by Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, the Apostolic Nuncio, or papal ambassador, to Poland, church officials said.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info, vaticannews.va, archwwa.pl