Vatican City: Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away at the age of 88 following a prolonged illness, the Vatican announced on Monday. He served as pontiff for 12 years after being elected in 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who had resigned due to health concerns.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell delivered the solemn announcement on Vatican TV:
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
The Vatican will now initiate preparations for the conclave, the traditional process to elect a new pope, which typically begins 15 to 20 days after a pontiff’s death.
A Decline in Health
Pope Francis had faced numerous health challenges in recent years. On February 14, he was hospitalized with bronchitis and later diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, placing him in critical condition. The Vatican also revealed early signs of kidney failure.
Despite his condition, he made a brief appearance on March 23 from a hospital balcony, giving a thumbs-up to crowds outside. He later returned to the Vatican for a two-month period of rest and recovery. On April 20, just a day after meeting U.S. Vice President JD Vance, he greeted the public during the Easter Sunday service.
Legacy of a Modern Pope
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis made history as the first pope from the Americas. He was elected on March 13, 2013, at age 76, surprising many observers with his reputation as a humble cleric deeply committed to social justice and the poor.
He assumed leadership of a Church in crisis, still reeling from the global child sex abuse scandal and internal conflicts within the Vatican. Over his 12-year papacy, he undertook significant reforms and sought to modernize the 2,000-year-old institution.
Despite facing opposition from both conservative and progressive factions within the Church, Francis remained a towering global figure. He championed causes like interfaith dialogue, peace, and the rights of marginalized communities, particularly migrants.
His accomplishments included reorganizing the Vatican bureaucracy, authoring four major encyclicals, visiting over 65 countries on 47 foreign trips, and canonizing more than 900 saints. He also made groundbreaking decisions, such as allowing priests to bless same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis and appointing women to key leadership roles within the Vatican.
Francis convened five major synods of Catholic bishops to address divisive issues such as women’s ordination and evolving teachings on sexuality.
Pope Francis leaves behind a complex legacy—one marked by compassion, reform, and controversy—but widely seen as an earnest effort to bring the Church closer to the realities of the modern world.