Pope Francis has died at the age of 88.

The Vatican reports that the pontiff died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words at 9:45 AM local time:

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow 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. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”

The Pope — the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics — was hospitalised for more than a month at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital when he was admitted for a bout of bronchitis.

His clinical situation gradually worsened, and his doctors diagnosed bilateral pneumonia on Tuesday, February 18. After 38 days in hospital, the late Pope returned to his Vatican residence to continue his recovery.

Pope Francis was the first pontiff from Latin America, known as a controversial reformer, in his bid to position the Catholic church in a modern society.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was born in Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the son of Regina Maria Sivori, who was born in Buenos Aires, and Mario Bergoglio, who migrated to Argentina in the 1920s.

Pope Francis trained as a chemical engineer before studying theology.

He was first ordained as a priest in 1969 and became archbishop of Buenos Aires 30 years later.