Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff in history, has passed away at the age of 88 following a prolonged struggle with illnesses. Only a day prior, he had made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, bestowing blessings upon the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He had a brief meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
The Associated Press reported that the announcement was made early Monday, following the tolling of bells in church towers throughout Rome.
“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,” remarked Cardinal Kevin Farrell from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis resided. Farrell will assume temporary leadership following the death of a pontiff.
Francis endured a chronic lung disease, having even undergone the removal of part of one lung in his youth. He was admitted to the hospital due to severe respiratory problems that escalated into double pneumonia, and he remained there for 38 days.
Pope Francis, originally named Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born in Argentina and ascended to the papacy as the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. He gained recognition as a more progressive pope, having been elected following years of church scandals, most infamously revealed through decades of coverups and inaction regarding sexual abuse. He advocated for LGBTQ+ rights, opposed the death penalty, and declared the possession of nuclear weapons to be immoral. He passionately advocated for migrants, the impoverished, and the marginalized across the globe.
He held traditional views on various Catholic beliefs, including his opposition to abortion and his support for a male-only, celibate priesthood. Nevertheless, he advocated for increased roles for women in Vatican leadership. Pope Francis’s approach was remarkably distinct from that of his predecessor Benedict XVI, who was viewed as a representative of Roman Catholic traditional conservatism. He stepped down in 2013.
