Pope Francis, first Latin-American to head the Catholic Church, passes away at 88

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was elected the 266th pontiff on March 13, 2013

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday (April 21, 2025).

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“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in an announcement read by him from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived.

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Cardinal Kevin Farrell was accompanied by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, substitute chief of staff and Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of liturgical ceremonies.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.

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“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 God, One and Tribune,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell said.

Pope Francis emerged on Easter Sunday — a day before his death — to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile romp through the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause.

The Pope had been hospitalised for several weeks as he battled a severe bout of respiratory illness stemming from bronchitis, and was discharged on March 24, 2025. He was admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome, Italy on February 14, after experiencing difficulty in breathing for several days.

Pope Francis, who had been plagued in recent years by health issues, from knee and hip pain to an inflamed colon, was prone to respiratory infections after having part of his right lung cut away when he was 21.

The Pope is the successor of the Apostle Peter, the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ and the pastor of the universal Catholic Church on Earth, according to the church’s in-house canon law. Pope Francis was elected the 266th pontiff on March 13, 2013.

Pope Francis’ papacy was marked by his attempts to execute reforms within the Catholic Church. To that extent, history’s first Latin American Pope was vocal on social issues including the treatment of LGBTQIA+ members of the church, climate change, the refugee problem, and even said that the Church must “seek forgiveness” over the “scourge” of child sexual abuse. More recently, the Pope had issued stern criticism of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. In his last days, despite his health, the Pope made his daily call to a Gaza City parish to check in on the Catholic community there. 

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Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis began his career as a Jesuit priest in Argentina and later served as archbishop of Buenos Aires and a cardinal. As archbishop of Buenos Aires he spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and shoe-leather priests, while clashing with the Argentine government over conservative issues.

(With inputs from agencies)

Published - April 21, 2025 01:35 pm IST