In countries such as Timor-Leste, Pope Francis wasn't just the head of the Catholic church.
Holding back tears, local Francisca Wongabou told the ABC: "I feel the pope as my king."
"Because he recently came less than a year ago, I feel the pope is not dead. I am surprised and do not accept reality," she said.
She was one of dozens of people in the country who gathered for a late-night vigil to remember the pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88.
Timor-Leste has the highest proportion of Catholics outside of Vatican City, with more than 97 per cent of the population identifying as practising the faith.
The pope's three-day visit to Timor-Leste last September was described as the biggest event in the country since it gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
Some estimates put the final crowd figure at 600,000.
The event was a significant moment for local Joanina Amaral.
"I received the first blessing [from the pope] together with my child …" Ms Amaral said.
"My child was born with a disability. When the pope blessed my child, his health continued to be good, although he did not walk, sleep in place, but his health is still good until now."
Though his papacy began far from the Pacific, Pope Francis became a symbol of unity and resilience in Asia and the Pacific.
His 12-day visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore in 2024 was the longest trip he took during his papacy.
Timor-Leste's President Jose Ramos Horta told the ABC he was worried about the pope's health during the visit but was impressed by how he handled the occasion.
"Everybody wanted to touch him, everybody wanted to kiss his hands, everybody wanted him to bless their rosaries … he always had a smile," Mr Ramos Horta said.
"When the message came from Rome [that Pope Francis had died], I was so shocked, so surprised, so sad, so overwhelmed.
"I know we are losing yet another great world leader in a time of great turmoil, in a time of huge deficit in world leadership, leadership of wisdom.
"We have lost a great moral voice, a voice of compassion."
Pope Francis was the first pope to visit Timor-Leste in 35 years and the first since it gained independence from Indonesia after a brutal, decades-long occupation.
Timor-Leste's president said the visit was incredibly significant for the country.
"He put us on the map. Millions of people from around the world followed Timor-Leste through the pope's visit … so we thank the pope for putting back Timor-Leste on the global stage, on the world map," he said.
The country has declared a week of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast from today.
[THE WORLD JRH IV]Pacific embraces pope's environmental messages
The pope's advocacy for the environment struck a chord with Pacific Islanders battling rising sea levels.
The Pacific Conference of Churches, an ecumenical organisation of Christian churches from across the region, described Pope Francis as "an inspiration".
"His ecumenical spirit and commitment to social and ecological justice and in particular, leadership grounded in compassion for the vulnerable, "the least" among us were an inspiration and will be a legacy for the Pasifika Household," Reverend James Bhagwan said in a statement from Fiji.
He said two encyclicals that Pope Francis wrote, Laudato Si and Laudato Deum, "were key declarations on the need for an ecological conversion, the end of the era of Fossil Fuels and corporate capture of creation, not only as prophetic voice but also as the head of the Vatican State".
"Laudato Si" (Praised Be), called for urgent action on climate change. He updated this work in 2023 with an apostolic exhortation, Laudate Deum (Praise God), where he appealed to climate change deniers and foot-dragging politicians to have a change of heart.
Elsewhere, Bishop Rozario Menezes, Bishop of the Diocese of Lae, reflected on the pope's visit to Papua New Guinea as he heard the news of his death.
"It's very sad news especially for us here in Papua New Guinea, having visited us and encouraged us to keep strong in faith," Bishop Menezes told the ABC.
"We thank God for the gift of Pope Francis to the church especially as a leader and shepherd of the Catholic Church — a true inspiration for everyone in every walk of life," he added.
Pope left impact on Christian minority countries
When Pope Francis visited Indonesia, a predominantly-Muslim nation, it marked the first papal visit to the country in 35 years.
Only about 3 per cent of Indonesia's citizens are Catholic.
On Monday, Indonesian President Prabawo Subianto took to Instagram to share a message of condolence.
"The pope's message of simplicity, pluralism, favouring the poor and caring for others will always be an example for all of us," Mr Subianto said.
And the news of Pope Francis's death was met with deep sorrow in the Philippines, where 80 per cent of the population identify as Catholic.
Church bells rang out across the capital Manila following news of his death.
While the faithful mourn Francis, there is some hope that the next leader of the Catholic Church will be from the Philippines.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will join the conclave to elect the next pope.
In 2015, a record crowd of up to 7 million people turned out for a historic mass held in the capital.
The pope's visit to the country included a visit to Tacloban, where he met with people affected by Typhoon Haiyan, the deadliest storm in the country's history.
During the visit, volunteer Kirstel Padasas died in an accident.
Her father, Jun Padasas, was devastated by the pope's death.
"He is now in God's hands. He feels no more pain and is in a better place," he told Reuters.
"I spoke to my daughter's picture while lighting a candle at her altar and said, 'Pope Francis is gone. Welcome him there.'"
[THE WORLD IV PHILIPPINES]
