Tributes have been paid to Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche movement, who died on May 7, aged 90.

Vanier founded the first L’Arche community with two disabled people at Trosly-Breuil, near Paris in 1964, after being disturbed by the conditions people were looked after in at a nearby institution.

His vision was that disabled and nondisabled people should live and grow together in friendship, instead of the usual model of the strong doing things for the weak. He wrote, in one of his 40 books: “The whole vision of Jesus is the gradual discovery that the poor are not people whom we have to change from our pedestal and make them like us, but people from whom we can drink.”

By the time of his death, the movement had spread to more than 150 communities in 38 countries all over the world. A non-residential sister organisation, Faith and Light, has more than 1420 communities in 86 countries.

After the news of his death was announced by L’Arche, Pope Francis said:

“Thank you to him and thank you God for having given us a man of such great witness”.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, said: “Jean Vanier lived the Gospel in such a beautiful way that few who met him could fail to be caught up in it.

I join countless people around the world in deep sorrow at his death, and great gratitude for his life…

“The heart of his profound discipleship was to foster communities that Jesus would have recognised: communities of love and fellowship where people carry each other’s burdens, accept each other’s gifts and limitations – and find belonging, joy and healing.

“In a world where individualism and competition can seem to have the upper hand, his vision, his teachings and his example were a powerful reminder that as human beings we are called to something infinitely more precious.”

John Sargent, National Leader of L’Arche UK, said: “Jean’s death is a great sadness. His vision was one of radical welcome, inclusion and joy, where each person is valued and celebrated.

“He will be greatly missed by people from all walks of life who have been influenced and changed by the witness of his life and his teachings, which remain as relevant today as ever.

“We are committed to continue to live out his vision in our L’Arche and Faith and Light communities.”