Vatican City, April 21 – Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. The news was officially announced on Monday morning by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo (Chamberlain) of the Vatican.
“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must share the news of the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis,” said Cardinal Farrell. “This morning at 7:35 a.m., the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His life was fully devoted to serving the Lord and the Church.”
Pope Francis passed away the morning after Easter Sunday. Despite being visibly weak, he had still given his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” Easter blessing to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square the day before.
Cardinal Farrell praised the Pope’s dedication and compassion. “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faith, courage, and love for all – especially for the poor and those who are excluded,” he said. “We thank God for his example as a true follower of Jesus and entrust his soul to God’s loving mercy.”
Pope Francis had recently been recovering from a serious respiratory infection that began on February 14 and required a hospital stay of over five weeks. He returned to the Vatican on March 23 and made several public appearances after that, giving hope to many that he was recovering.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, served as pope since 2013 and was the first pope from the Americas. His leadership focused on mercy, humility, and care for the marginalized.
