Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, with the Vatican confirming the sad news early Monday morning. The Pope passed away peacefully at 7:35 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, inside his private residence at the Casa Santa Marta within Vatican City.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, made the official announcement, delivering the solemn message from the Pope’s residence. “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” he stated. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father…”
Just hours before his death, Pope Francis had appeared before thousands of worshippers gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for Easter Mass. He greeted the faithful from a distance, marking what would be his final public appearance.
The Pope had been in fragile health for several years, often suffering from recurring respiratory illnesses. Earlier in 2025, he was hospitalized at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital after battling bronchitis. He stayed there for over a month and was discharged after 38 days to continue his recovery at the Casa Santa Marta.
Doctors had later diagnosed him with bilateral pneumonia, a serious condition that gradually weakened him further. His health troubles weren’t new—back in 1957, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, as he was then known, had part of a lung removed in Argentina due to a severe infection. These respiratory issues continued to affect him throughout his life.
In April 2024, Pope Francis approved an updated version of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the official liturgical book used for papal funerals. It included new instructions on how the body of a deceased pope should be treated, and notably, called for a simpler and more faith-centered ceremony.
According to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, who is responsible for the Vatican’s liturgical ceremonies, the Pope had requested that his funeral avoid excess and focus on Christ. “The renewed rite,” said Ravelli, “seeks to emphasise even more that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful person of this world.”
Pope Francis, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, was the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit to hold the position. His papacy was marked by efforts to reform the Church, promote social justice, and reach out to the poor and marginalized.
