The Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has been reported died at the age of 88, following health had deteriorated, fueling speculations that he might resign, while he was said to have participated in Easter Sunday Mass, just a day before his passing.
Penpushing reports that the Vatican in an official statement on Monday, announced that the pope died on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, while Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo of the Catholic Church, confirmed the time of death as 7:35 a.m.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father’, Farrell wrote.
“His entire life was dedicated to serving the Lord and His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God. He was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on 14 February for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia’, the statement reads.
Penpushing further reports that before that illness, the Pope had had part of one lung removed as a young man, but he returned after suffering from chronic lung disease and was hospitalised for 38 days.
The then ailing Pope delegated the celebration of the Mass to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, and made a surprise appearance afterwards, riding in the popemobile through St Peter’s Square as chants of Viva il Papa echoed from the 35,000-strong crowd.
Penpushing also reports that the deceased was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was the first pope from Latin America as well as the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church.
The late Pope was elected on March 13,2013 following the resignation of Benedict XVI, took his name in honour of St Francis of Assisi, which was a nod to his commitment to simplicity and service.
Penpushing reports that before his papacy, he served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires and was elevated to cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001, while his journey from working as a janitor and bouncer in his youth to leading over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide became a powerful narrative of humble origins and spiritual conviction.
The deceased throughout his 12-year papacy, was widely seen as a reformer and a voice for the marginalized, advocated for migrant rights, denounced economic inequality, and urged compassion toward divorced and LGBTQ+ Catholics — stances that often-challenged traditional Vatican norms.
Penpushing further reports that the Pope famously attacked trickle-down economics, telling La Stampa in 2013, stating that when the glass is full, it magically grows, and thus nothing ever comes out for the poor.
The late Pope in same vein, took bold steps in global diplomacy, including helping broker the restoration of the United States of America–Cuba relations and striking a controversial agreement with China on appointing bishops.
Penpushing also reports that in 2024, he became the first pope to address the G7 summit, warning world leaders about the ethical risks of artificial intelligence, and in one of his most personal public speeches — a 2021 TED Talk — he reflected on his migrant heritage,
Meanwhile, with his death, the Church enters a sede vacante (vacant seat) period, while preparations are now underway for the conclave that will elect his successor.
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