A long black bunting hung around the doors of Denver’s Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Monday morning, as local parishioners piled in the church to mourn the death of Pope Francis.

Many cried during a prayer session, hastily organized before the regular 12:10 p.m. mass.

Between 11 a.m. and 12, the bells of the church rang throughout downtown Denver, marking the death of the 88-year-old pontiff, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years.

“We got down here in hopes to at least light a candle and say our goodbyes,” Katy Worthington, a mother of two, told The Denver Gazette outside of the church, as the bells tolled in the background. “It was really a beautiful experience.”

Francis’ death, announced early Monday morning, came as a surprise. While he battled health issues, Francis was present at the Easter Sunday blessing at the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square just the day prior, when he rode in the popemobile and blessed the crowd from the balcony.

“It reminds us that life is fragile,” Archbishop Samuel Aquila, the leader of the Archdiocese of Denver, said at the mass Monday afternoon. “Even though we saw Pope Francis yesterday… All of that gave us hope that he was on the mend and that he had survived many brushes with death before. But the Lord has a way of reminding us that his plans may not be our plans and that he can call us anytime to himself.”

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013, and chose the papal name Francis to honor Saint Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century friar known for his dedication to the poor.

“He wanted to be known as being that type of pope. For people, not trying to be the big honcho, but just being a leader and by his example, showing people how they could also be like him — just an average person and care for each other,” said Gary Trevino, a Denver native and parishioner of Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

“His legacy is always going to be kind of a mixed bag,” Trevino said. “He did a lot of things that were unusual and controversial. There’s always going to be the side that says, ‘We don’t like that.’ There’s always going to be a side that says, ‘We do like that.'”

“He was the best pope of all time. The way he could connect with Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He touched everyone,” Worthington said. “He was a great man who loved everyone.”

Even as they mourn the death of Francis, the church faithful will quickly turn its eye to the conclave to elect a new pope.

As to what type of person the new pope should be, Worthington said she looks toward the compassion that Francis emanated.

“We just really hope the next pope carries in that same feeling of hope and love and the charity he always gave to the poor,” she said.

Trevino said he would be interested in seeing the next pontiff carry the cultural diversity that Francis brought, being the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas.

“Maybe we have the first African-American pope. Maybe the first Asian pope,” he said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what comes next.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.