Pope Francis Passes Away on Easter Monday at Age 88

Vatican City – April 21, 2025 — Pope Francis, the popular and progressive head of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away at age 88. The pontiff peacefully died on Easter Monday, only a day after issuing his last Urbi et Orbi blessing to the global community.

The Vatican confirmed that the Pope passed away in a statement issued on early Monday evening. “His Holiness Pope Francis returned home to the House of the Father at 6:34 p.m. Rome time,” it stated. “He passed away at Casa Santa Marta, surrounded by his closest aides, due to complications from a stroke and then resulting heart failure.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis became the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church when he was elected on March 13, 2013. He was the first Latin American pope, the first Jesuit pope, and the first non-European pontiff in more than 1,200 years.

A Papacy of Firsts
Francis’s papacy was marked by a clear departure from much of the traditional norms of the Church. Right from the start, he indicated a less pompous and more accessible style, famously forgoing the expensive Apostolic Palace to live in the humble Casa Santa Marta guesthouse. He also gave up elaborate papal attire and opted to drive around in an ordinary Fiat rather than the usual popemobile.

Throughout his 12-year tenure, Pope Francis earned widespread admiration for his focus on social justice, care for the environment, and efforts to make the Church more inclusive. His encyclical Laudato Si’, published in 2015, was a landmark document on environmental responsibility and climate change. He also advocated for the poor, migrants, and victims of war and conflict, repeatedly calling on world leaders to act with compassion and urgency.

A Voice for the Marginalized
Pope Francis stretched Catholic doctrine by offering a more open hand to those long excluded by the Church. He endorsed civil unions for gay couples, prioritized pastoral over dogmatic judgment, and opened up the debate on women’s roles within the Church. Although these positions were not without opposition from conservative elements, they endeared him to millions of Catholics and non-Catholics.

“Who am I to judge?”—his then-infamous 2013 comment in reply to one of his first questions about gay priests—was a statement that encapsulated his pontificate and became a symbol of his welcoming style of papacy.

Health and Final Days
Recently, Pope Francis’s health had openly deteriorated. He had chronic knee issues and underwent partial removal of his colon in 2021. More recently, he fought double pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital several times during late 2024 and early 2025.

Even with his failing health, the Pope stayed active in office. His last public outing came on Easter Sunday, when he gave the usual blessing from St. Peter’s Basilica, though he gave it while being pushed in a wheelchair. Reporters commented on his frailness but also his determination to be present to his last duty.

The Pope had suffered a stroke during the early hours of Monday morning, Vatican officials say, and never regained consciousness. He died later in the day.

Mourning Around the World
Millions of faithful globally, along with world leaders and religious leaders, are mourning the death of Pope Francis.

U.S. President Maria Thompson, in a statement, said, “Pope Francis was a moral compass for our time. His dedication to peace, justice, and humanity leaves an irreversible mark on the world.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also mourned, terming him “a spiritual giant and a tireless champion of the dignity of all people.”

In the Vatican, nine days of mourning—novemdiales—have been announced. The Pope’s body will be on display at St. Peter’s Basilica, where hundreds of thousands are likely to file past to pay their respects. Funeral plans are being made, with a state funeral most likely to be conducted by the end of the week, and attended by world leaders, religious leaders, and heads of state.

What Comes Next
With the passing away of the current pope, the College of Cardinals will now prepare for a conclave to vote for a new pope. No front-runners have been announced yet, but the spotlight will shift to various key players of the Curia and world episcopate.

As the Catholic Church moves into a new future, people wonder if the next pope will follow the pattern of reform set by Francis or forge a new path.

A Legacy of Compassion
Pope Francis will go down as one of the most impactful spiritual leaders of the contemporary period—an initiator of the voiceless, a shepherd for the outcast, and a reformer who attempted to bring the Church to the people.

In a 2014 homily, he said: “The Church is not a museum of saints, but a hospital for sinners.” Pope Francis was a living testament to that mission both in life and in death.