Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, after several months of battling health issues. The news was announced by the Holy See.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father, Francis. At 7:35 a.m., the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday aged 88
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
Among his many duties and decisions, the late Pope Francis clearly enjoyed the company of other people, drawing energy from them and returning their affection with a word of encouragement or sometimes with just a caring smile.https://t.co/WDbmN9GZGG
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025
At 9:45 a.m. on Easter Monday, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, made the announcement at the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father, Francis. At 7:35 a.m., the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house. His entire life was dedicated to serving the Lord and His Church. He taught us how to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love—especially for the poor and the marginalized. With deep gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we entrust Pope Francis’s soul to the infinite and merciful love of the Triune God,” the cardinal said.
The last foreign dignitary to meet with the head of the Church was U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who visited the Vatican with his family on Easter Sunday.
The End of a Pontificate
The 88-year-old Pope had spent more than five weeks in the hospital due to bilateral pneumonia. After being discharged, he continued treatment and physical therapy at the Vatican’s Domus Sanctae Marthae.
He made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he gave the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing to the faithful at noon.
On March 13, 2013, during the second day of the conclave convened after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, he was elected Bishop of Rome on the fifth ballot—becoming the 266th pope. The traditional white smoke, signaling to the world the election of a new pope, rose at 7:06 p.m. Rome time. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a clergyman from Argentina, took the papal name Francis.