(UPDATE 8) Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America and the first non-European leader of the Roman Catholic Church in more than a millennium, has died. He was 88.
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| Photo from Vatican News |
The Vatican announced his passing on Monday morning through Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, who is responsible for overseeing the Church’s affairs during the interregnum between papacies.
“At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Cardinal Farrell said in a solemn statement. “His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”
The pope’s health had been in sharp focus in recent months. Just weeks ago, he was released from a hospital in Rome after being treated for severe pneumonia affecting both lungs. Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, April 20, delivering the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from St. Peter’s Square. Despite ongoing health concerns, he greeted cheering crowds from an open-air popemobile.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, Francis would go on to become a Jesuit priest and rise through the Church hierarchy, known for his humility, theological depth, and deep commitment to social justice.
He was elected pope in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, a rare abdication that marked a turning point in modern Church history. Francis immediately signaled a different tone: rejecting the papal palace in favor of a modest guesthouse, and embracing a pastoral approach that resonated far beyond Vatican walls.
Throughout his pontificate, Francis sought to steer the Church toward a more inclusive, compassionate direction. He softened the Church’s rhetoric on issues like homosexuality, divorce, and capital punishment, and pushed for a more active role for women, even as the institution’s deeply rooted traditions limited how far such reforms could go.
Known for his advocacy on behalf of migrants and the poor, Francis often invoked his own family history. His grandparents narrowly escaped a shipwreck while migrating from Italy to Argentina, an origin story that profoundly shaped his stance on global migration and inequality.
At age 16, he had a spiritual awakening during confession, which led him to pursue priesthood. He joined the Jesuit order and, by 36, had become its leader in Argentina, a position he held during the country’s brutal military dictatorship, a period that tested and refined his theology under fire.
Cardinal Farrell, in his announcement, praised the late pope’s unwavering commitment to the Gospel and his empathy for society’s most marginalized.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus,” he said, “we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God.”
Plans for the funeral and conclave to elect a new pope are expected to be announced in the coming days.
↗️ READ: On Conclave and defying gravity
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/jUIkbplVi2
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025