Pope mourns death of Vatican cardinal

Pope Benedict XVI paid tribute Monday to Vatican diplomat Cardinal Pio Laghi, praising his "long and generous service" to the Holy See.

Laghi died Saturday at age 86. On Monday, his body lay in the church of the Rome hospital where he died.

Laghi, a former envoy to the United States, went back to Washington in 2003 to try to dissuade U.S. President George W. Bush from launching the invasion of Iraq.

Bush said in a statement Sunday that the cardinal was a "friend who ... worked tirelessly for peace and justice in our world." The U.S. president said Laghi "holds an especially important place in the hearts of the American people."

Laghi also oversaw the establishment of diplomatic ties between the United States and the Vatican in 1984.

The pope said in his message of condolences Monday that he was deeply moved by the news of Laghi's death and praised his service as Vatican representative and as prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education.