Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church’s 266th pope and a figure in history in the religion’s modern age, died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, aged 88. The Vatican reported that he had died at 7:35 local time at his apartment within Casa Santa Marta, with complications from recent double pneumonia sickness.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis shattered history in 2013 as the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first non-European pope in over a thousand years. He reigned for 12 years, marked by commitment to humility, social justice, and a sense of openness. He was admired for trying to address issues of the world, including climate change, economic inequality, and the plight of refugees.
In his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, April 20, Pope Francis delivered the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from St. Peter’s Basilica, asking for peace and harmony. His death the following morning prompted an avalanche of eulogies by world leaders and believers around the globe. King Charles III dispatched his “deepest sadness,” citing the Pope’s compassion and dedication to unity.
The Vatican has commenced the customary mourning period, with the funeral being announced within a few days’ time. Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, as he desired. While the Church arranges the requisite steps for the conclave to select his successor, the world recalls a papacy that attempted to dismantle walls and bring the Church closer to the marginalized.
