Cardinal George Pell divides opinion in death as in life

Conservative politicians remember Pell as a saint' and a martyr', while others prefer to acknowledge victims of child sexual abuse in the Catholic church

• Cardinal Pell dies in Rome aged 81
• George Pell flew higher than any Australian priest, but he chose career over the safety of children
• Obituary: Australia's most powerful Catholic, dogged by scandal
• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The death of Cardinal George Pell has prompted dramatically polarised reactions, with church officials praising his service while others shared messages of support for victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic church.

The former prime minister Tony Abbott called Pell a saint for our times", saying in a statement the cardinal's overturned convictions on charges of child sex abuse was a modern form of crucifixion ... a kind of living death".

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup