Empire State Building shines in gold, white in memory of Pope Francis after pontiff’s death

The Empire State Building in New York is shining gold and white tower lights for a four-hour window Monday night and into Tuesday morning in memory of Pope Francis following his death.

The building was shining starting at 10 p.m. Monday night and will stay lit until 2 a.m. Tuesday to honor the life and legacy of the pontiff, according to the Empire State Building website.

“A defining feature of the New York City skyline since 1976, the Empire State Building lights have captured the world’s imagination for decades,” the building’s website reads. “We maintain a tradition of changing the color of the lights to recognize important occasions, holidays, and organizations throughout the year.”

Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, spent 38 days in Rome’s Gemelli hospital starting on Feb. 14 to treat a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.

The pope was still recovering when he met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.