Pope Francis on Wednesday sent a telegram of condolences to Israel on the death its statesman and former president and prime minister Shimon Peres at the age of 93.
"I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of His Excellency Shimon Peres, and I wish to convey to you and to all the people of Israel my heartfelt condolences," read the telegram.
"I fondly recall my time with Mr Peres at the Vatican and renew my great appreciation for the late President's tireless efforts in favour of peace," Francis continued.
"I hope that his memory and many years of service will inspire us all to work with ever greater urgency for peace and reconciliation between peoples," Francis said, adding that he was praying "for all who grieve".
Francis and US president Barack Obama are among world figures expected to attend Peres' funeral at Israel's at Mount Herzl national cemetery in Jerusalem on Friday.
Francis and Peres met several times at the Vatican, most notably at the historic prayer meeting in the Vatican Gardens hosted by Francis on 8 June, 2014 when Peres was still president of Israel. That meeting was also attended by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.
Peres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his role negotiating the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier, a prize he shared with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was later assassinated, and with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
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