Pope Francis died on Easter Monday on the age of 88 after battling a critical bout of double pneumonia.
Regardless of his sickness, his loss of life got here as a shock after he had been pushed round St. Peter’s Sq. to greet cheering crowds on Easter Sunday.
“Pricey brothers and sisters, it’s with profound disappointment I need to announce the loss of life of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell introduced on the Vatican’s TV channel on April 21.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” he stated.
Francis, who had additionally delivered a blessing at this yr’s Easter providers a day earlier than his loss of life, was the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the primary from the Americas, the primary Jesuit, and the primary pontiff born outdoors Europe in over a millennium.
On the Vatican, locals, vacationers, and pilgrims visiting for Easter expressed their shock and grief.
“That is one thing that basically hits you exhausting,” Rome resident Emanuela Tinari informed Reuters. “He was a pope who introduced so many individuals nearer to the church. He was not appreciated by everybody. However he undoubtedly was by odd folks.”
Tributes have additionally been pouring in for the late pontiff from leaders around the globe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin printed a assertion saying Francis “loved nice worldwide authority as a trustworthy servant of Christian instructing, a sensible non secular statesman, and a constant defender of the excessive values of humanism and justice.”
“All through his preach, he actively contributed to the event of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church buildings, in addition to constructive interplay between Russia and the Holy See,” he stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy additionally praised the pope’s tenure, describing the pontiff as somebody who “knew find out how to give hope, ease struggling by way of prayer, and foster unity.”
“He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians,” he added. “We grieve along with Catholics and all Christians who seemed to Pope Francis for religious assist. Everlasting reminiscence!”
‘Painful And Shameful’ — Pope Francis On The Ukraine Conflict
Pope Francis, who died on April 21, Easter Monday, didn’t ship his ultimate annual Angelus handle in individual.
However the textual content of his handle stated the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24 was “a painful and shameful event for all of humanity.”
He went on to voice “solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian folks.”
The Pontiff’s death-bed assertion was his final try to provide the Vatican a voice within the battle.
Whereas he was clearly sympathetic to the plight of Ukrainians, Pope Francis’ earlier interventions weren’t at all times welcomed by Kyiv.
He raised specific ire in March 2024 by calling on Ukraine to search out “the braveness of the white flag” to enter peace talks with Russia.
He later stated that the “first situation” for peace was that Russia “put an finish to its aggression.” However earlier, his avoidance of particular criticism of Russia was a explanation for frustration.
In June 2022, he condemned the “cruelty” of Russian forces whereas additionally suggesting the warfare was “maybe one way or the other provoked.”
This echoed a Kremlin argument, repeatedly made with out proof, that it was compelled to assault.
— By Ray Furlong, senior worldwide correspondent
“Relaxation in Peace Pope Francis!” US President Donald Trump stated in a Reality Social put up. “Could God Bless him and all who cherished him!”
Trump introduced afterward the identical social media platform that he and first girl Melania Trump would attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome.
Trump’s predecessor additionally praised Frances on social media. “He promoted fairness and an finish to poverty and struggling throughout the globe,” stated Joe Biden, himself a religious Roman Catholic.
US Vice President JD Vance, who met with the pontiff on April 20, stated his coronary heart “goes out to the hundreds of thousands of Christians all around the world who cherished him.”
European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen stated “the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis,” including that “he impressed hundreds of thousands, far past the Catholic Church, along with his humility and love so pure for the much less lucky.”
Moldovan President Maia Sandu additionally expressed remorse on the information of Francis’s loss of life, saying that he had “tirelessly promoted compassion and social justice” and “led with love, stood by the susceptible, and known as for unity in occasions of division.”
Her feedback have been echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated the pope had been “a person of humility, on the facet of probably the most susceptible and probably the most fragile.”
Incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated Francis could be remembered for his “tireless dedication to the weakest in society.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer tweeted that he was “deeply saddened” by Francis’s loss of life.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban responded to the information with a brief a Fb put up that included an image of him with the late pontiff. “Thanks for every thing, Holy Father,” he stated. “We bid you farewell.”
An Iranian international ministry spokesman voiced disappointment over Francis’s loss of life, saying that he supplied “condolences to all Christians around the globe.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated Francis was “a religious chief who gave significance to dialogue between totally different religion teams and took the initiative within the face of humanitarian tragedies, particularly the Palestinian difficulty and the genocide in Gaza.”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic additionally posted tributes to the pope.
A Papacy Targeted On Social Justice
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the son of Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis labored as a chemical technician earlier than getting into the Jesuits in 1958.
He was ordained a priest in 1969 and have become the provincial superior of the Jesuits in Argentina from 1973 to 1979.
In 1998, he was appointed archbishop of Buenos Aires. Three years later, he was elevated to the Faculty of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II.
Elected Pope in 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, he selected the identify Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, reflecting his dedication to humility and the poor.
His papacy was marked by a deal with mercy, social justice, and environmental stewardship.
In 2015, Pope Francis issued the encyclical “Laudato si’,” calling for world motion on local weather change and look after the surroundings.
He additionally emphasised interfaith dialogue, notably signing the Doc on Human Fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt, Ahmed el-Tayeb, in 2019, a landmark settlement selling peace and coexistence amongst totally different faiths.
‘A Poor Church For The Poor’
Pope Francis was identified for his pastoral method, advocating for a “poor Church for the poor” and reaching out to marginalized communities.
He made efforts to reform the Vatican’s monetary programs and handle alleged clerical sexual abuse throughout the church.
In 2025, he printed his autobiography, “Hope,” providing insights into his life and papal mission.
In his later years, Pope Francis confronted a number of well being challenges.
In 2021, he underwent colon surgical procedure to handle diverticulitis, and in 2023, he had stomach surgical procedure to restore a hernia. He additionally skilled persistent knee and again ache, usually utilizing a wheelchair for mobility.
Regardless of these points, he maintained a rigorous schedule, persevering with his pastoral duties and worldwide travels.
In early 2025, Pope Francis was hospitalized with a polymicrobial respiratory tract an infection, which developed into double pneumonia. His situation remained advanced, requiring an prolonged hospital keep. He had been discharged from hospital on March 23.