Pope Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88, just one day after making a triumphant Easter Sunday appearance where he blessed thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced.
The pontiff passed away at 7:35 am local time after dedicating “his entire life to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” according to Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo who made the announcement.
Francis had appeared to be on the road to recovery after being discharged from hospital on March 23, where he had been treated for double pneumonia affecting both lungs.
Despite his fragile health, the pope made a surprise 50-minute tour through a crowd of 35,000 believers on Easter Sunday, stopping to bless babies while crowds shouted “Viva il Papa!” and “Bravo!”
Earlier that same day, Francis had conducted a “brief” and “private” meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Casa Santa Marta residence in Vatican City.
The meeting came amid tensions between the pontiff and the Trump administration over immigration policy, with Francis having recently criticized the administration’s mass deportation plans. “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 God, One and Tribune,” Ferrell stated.
The Daily Mail reports that the pope’s body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica during an official mourning period. Breaking with tradition, Francis will be buried in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighborhood rather than with his predecessors.
World leaders quickly offered condolences following the announcement. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said she was “deeply saddened” and remembered Francis as “a great man and a great shepherd.”
The White House issued a brief statement saying, “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis,” while French President Emmanuel Macron praised the pope for wanting the Church to “bring joy and hope to the poorest.”
In Paris, Notre-Dame cathedral rang its bells 88 times in honor of the pontiff’s 88 years of life.
Francis became the first non-European pope in 1,300 years when he was elected to replace the retiring Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was known for his comparatively liberal attitudes on some issues while maintaining traditional Catholic positions on others.
The Conclave to choose Francis’s successor will not begin for at least 15 days, according to Vatican protocol. Cardinals from around the world will gather in the Sistine Chapel to elect the next leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.
Despite several health challenges in recent years, including part of a lung removed when he was 21, Francis maintained a busy schedule until his final weeks. His last major international trip was a 12-day tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania in September 2024, visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore.
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