Sadly, the Pope passed away after a short illness.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the real name of the Holy Father at the head of the Roman Catholic Church, was elected Pope in March 2013.
On Monday (April 21), the Vatican confirmed the 88-year-old’s de@th in a video statement.
“Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.” Read the statement.
The Pope’s health had been in jeopardy since February when he was rushed to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, suffering from respiratory infection, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia in both lungs and mild kidney failure.
During the last month, he had suffered an isolated attack of bronchospasm that resulted in vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of his respiratory condition.
Since his hospitalization, the Vatican has posted updates about the Pope’s health. They revealed he slept well and was in good spirits but that his condition remained critical.
It was still unclear whether he would be able to live or die despite cooperating with therapeutic measures.
For the second week in a row, the Pope has been unable to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer. On Sunday (February 23), the Pope asked Catholics to pray for him.
In the wake of the tragic news emerging out of the Vatican, it has been reported that the beloved pontiff has passed away.
On Monday, Cardinal Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Camerlengo announced that the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s home at 7:35 this morning.
During his lifetime, he has been dedicated to serving the Lord and his Church.
“Through faithfulness, courage, and universal love, he taught us to live out the values of the Gospel.
“We commend Pope Francis’ soul to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune, for his example as a true disciple of Jesus.
After contracting pleurisy as a young man and having part of his lung removed, the religious leader was deemed particularly susceptible to lung infections.
During his 12 years of tenure, he was treated in the same hospital several times for health scares, including bronchitis, which he suffered in March 2023, and stayed there for several days.
Despite his health battles, Pope Francis has established many ‘firsts’ during his leadership over the past few years. He was the first pope to come from the Society of Jesus Christ, where priests and brothers dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ. He was also the first from Latin America, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It must also be noted that he is the first pope born or raised outside of Europe since the Syrian Pope Gregory III, some 1,200 years ago.
He was also praised for his progressive attitude and humility. He often delicately balanced conservative church rules and liberal attitudes. He chose his papal name after St Francis of Assisi.
The war in Ukraine was often mentioned, as well as the refugee crisis, climate change, global injustice, and even LGBT*Q+ rights.
In 2023, Pope Francis slammed laws criminalizing homos3xuality as a sin and endorsed blessings for same-s3x civil unions, telling journalists, “Who am I to judge?”
Also, during his life, he pushed for reforms within the church, including giving women more roles in high-ranking Vatican positions while breaking the formalities of his predecessors by residing in a church guest house instead of the grand Apostolic Palace, a church guest house.