Breaking: Pope Francis, Head of Catholic Church, Sadly Passes away on Easter Monday at age 88
Vatican City – April 21, 2025 — Pope Francis, the 266th Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88 following complications from a prolonged respiratory illness. His death was announced this morning at 9:45 AM local time by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, from the Casa Santa Marta.
“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,” said Cardinal Farrell in an official statement. “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 had been admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on Friday, February 14, after several days of battling bronchitis. His condition deteriorated over the following days, and on February 18, doctors diagnosed him with bilateral pneumonia. After spending 38 days in the hospital, he returned to the Vatican residence at the Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery but ultimately succumbed to his illness.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis underwent surgery in 1957 to remove part of a lung following a severe respiratory infection—an early indicator of the chronic pulmonary issues that would follow him throughout his life. These health struggles intensified with age, leading to frequent illnesses. In November 2023, he canceled a planned visit to the United Arab Emirates due to influenza and lung inflammation.
Despite these health challenges, Pope Francis remained an active leader and reformer within the Church. His papacy, which began in March 2013, was marked by a deep commitment to social justice, humility, and outreach to the marginalized. He was the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope.
In a move that reflected his lifelong emphasis on simplicity and spiritual integrity, Pope Francis had personally approved an updated edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis in April 2024—a revised liturgical book that will guide the upcoming papal funeral rites. The second edition introduces several changes, including the immediate placement of the Pope’s body into a coffin and the formal declaration of death taking place in the chapel rather than the room where he died
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, stated that the late Pope had requested simplified funeral rites focused on the Christian belief in resurrection. “The renewed rite,” Ravelli explained, “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.”
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days. Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of faith, compassion, and reform that touched millions around the globe.