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-Editorial
Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and the first from Latin America, died Monday morning at the age of 88. His death was officially announced at 9:45 a.m. local time by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, the pope’s residence inside Vatican City.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Farrell said. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.” The cardinal praised the late pope’s dedication to the Church and his focus on Gospel values, especially his advocacy for the poor and marginalized.
Church bells rang out across Rome following the announcement, marking the end of a papacy defined by its pastoral tone, global engagement, and progressive social teachings that often stirred both admiration and controversy.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said arrangements were underway for the transfer of Pope Francis’s body to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful will have the opportunity to pay their final respects beginning Wednesday, April 23.
Francis had been in declining health in recent months. He was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on February 14 after suffering from bronchitis. His condition worsened on February 18, when doctors diagnosed him with bilateral pneumonia. After 38 days of hospitalization, he returned to the Casa Santa Marta, where he continued his recovery until his passing. His final public appearance was on Easter Sunday, April 20.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1969. He served as the Jesuit provincial in Argentina from 1973 to 1979 and was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13 of that year, taking the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. He became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first non-European pope in over 1,200 years.
Throughout his 12-year papacy, Francis was recognized for his humility and commitment to social justice. He chose to live in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than the Apostolic Palace and frequently emphasized the importance of compassion, mercy, and inclusivity in Church teachings.
His leadership included significant steps toward reform within the Vatican and the broader Church. He appointed women to full membership in Vatican dicasteries, emphasized outreach to LGBTQ individuals, and advocated for environmental action, notably through his encyclical Laudato Si’. He condemned the death penalty as “inadmissible” and championed the rights of migrants and refugees.
Francis played a role in reestablishing diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba, sought dialogue with the Chinese government on bishop appointments, and condemned right-wing populism and anti-immigration policies around the world. In 2022, he issued a historic apology for the Church’s involvement in the abuse and forced assimilation of Indigenous children in Canada.
His final years were marked by the Synod on Synodality, a major Church initiative aimed at promoting greater listening, transparency, and participation among the faithful—a process many have called the most significant Church event since the Second Vatican Council.
Funeral details and plans for the conclave to elect his successor are expected to be released following the initial meetings of the College of Cardinals.