Pope Francis, the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years, has died at 88.
The pope’s death was announced on Monday, April 21, 2025, morning by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo. “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” a statement from the camerlengo said.
“At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His whole life was dedicated to the service of 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 marginalized. 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 Triune.”
Cardinal Kevin Farrell
The death of Francis, who became the first Latin American Pontiff in 2013 and was one of the oldest Popes in the church’s history, came weeks after he was discharged from a Rome hospital having battled a life-threatening case of pneumonia in both lungs.
His medical team said his condition had stabilized, allowing for him to continue his convalescence at his Casa Santa Marta residence back at the Vatican.
Two weeks after leaving hospital, he delighted the faithful by making a surprise appearance at St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis championed the poor, migrants and the environment, but divisions over same-sex relationships and how to tackle abuse scandals within the church persisted throughout his pontificate.
The Pope’s tireless advocacy for migrants saw him sharply criticize US President Donald Trump’s immigration deportation policies in the months before his death.
Francis brought a humbler, more forward-looking approach to the Vatican and worked to ease the Catholic Church’s rhetoric on social issues like homosexuality, the death penalty and the role of women.
Francis, whose pontificate was a counterweight to the rise of nationalist populism, often found himself under fire from powerful conservative Catholic forces in the US.
Pope Francis spent his final days in service of the church, participating as much as he could in the celebration of Easter, the high point of the Christian calendar.
The 88-year-old pontiff did not lead the main Holy Week and Easter services but has made brief appearances over the weekend, including spending 30 minutes at a prison in Rome on Thursday and making a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening.
And then on Sunday morning, he was able to offer the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the “City [of Rome] and to the World” while an aide read his address.
Only the Pope can offer this blessing which includes the offer of an indulgence, a remission for the effect of sins.
He later greeted cheering crowds in St. Peter’s Square from the popemobile, the first time he has done so since his hospitalization.
He also met briefly with US Vice President, JD Vance, who is the last foreign civic dignitary to have met with Pope Francis.
Pope Francis’ Death To Open Debate About Church’s Future
His death will open a debate about the future direction of the Catholic Church, with cardinals from across the globe expected to gather in Rome in the coming days to mourn the Pontiff and then elect his successor.
His death will prompt a period of mourning, after which all cardinals under the age of 80 will convene to pick the next leader of the Catholic Church.
The “Papal Interregnum” — the period between the death of one Pope and the election of another — began when Francis passed away.
Cardinals must now decide exactly when the funeral can take place, and after that, when conclave can begin.
However, much of the timeline is predetermined; the Pope’s death triggered the start of nine days of mourning known as the Novendiales, and the Pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day after death.
It typically takes between two and three weeks for a new Pope to be chosen following the death of his predecessor, though it can stretch slightly beyond that if cardinals struggle to agree on a candidate.
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