A day after his eagerly anticipated appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
From the Casa Santa Marta, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, declared Pope Francis’s passing:
“Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.
“This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church.”
On Friday, February 14, 2025, the Pope was taken to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital following a few days of bronchitis.
Francis had been battling pneumonia earlier this year and had nearly died twice.
Before being discharged on March 23, he was hospitalized for 38 days.