Pope Francis passed away early Monday morning at the age of 88 after a 12-year pontificate, just hours after making his final public appearance for Easter and meeting with Vice President J.D. Vance.
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 devoted to service to the Lord and 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 the One and Triune God
Said Kevin Joseph Cardinal Farrell, President of the Vatican Supreme Court, announcing the Pope’s death.
The Vatican did not confirm Pope Francis’s cause of death, though it came just months after he was admitted to a hospital in February with bronchitis. Francis remained hospitalized for 38 days, much of that time spent in critical condition with pneumonia. Though he was released from the hospital, he continued to face respiratory struggles that likely contributed to or caused his death.
Vatican Press Office Director Matteo Bruni signaled that Francis’ body could be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, where Catholics will have the opportunity to pray for the repose of his soul.
No date has been set for the papal funeral, but it is likely to differ from those of other recent popes. Last year, Francis requested an amendment to the papal funeral rites, asking for them to be simplified. The new rite is expected to emphasize the Pope’s role as a pastor, rather than his political station, in keeping with Francis’ emphasis on humility throughout his pontificate.
Francis intentionally eschewed some of the outward signs of status typically adopted by previous popes. He refused to live in the lavish papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace, preferring instead to live in the far simpler Domus Sanctae Marthae.
Prior to his death, he reportedly requested that he be buried outside the Vatican, not interred beneath St. Peter’s with other recent popes.
Both Vice President Vance and President Donald Trump issued brief statements on the Pope’s passing.
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him,” said Trump on Truth Social.
“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul,” said Vance on X.
Maine’s Senior Senator Susan Collins (R), a Roman Catholic, also issued a statement on Francis’ death.
“Pope Francis brought faith, hope, and light to Catholics all over the world. It was an honor to meet him in 2015 when his mission to share God’s grace brought him to Washington as the first pontiff to address Congress,” said Sen. Collins.
“His extraordinary efforts, despite being gravely ill, on Easter to bless the tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square and to greet the Vice President and his family speak to his profound commitment to celebrate the Risen Lord. His visit to prisoners reflected his pastoral dedication to reaching out and welcoming everyone to experience God’s love. May he rest in eternal peace,” she added.
Francis was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was created cardinal in 2001 by Pope St. John Paul II, and was elected to the papacy in 2013, following the unexpected resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.
Francis is the first pope to have been a priest of the controversial Jesuit order and the first pope to be born outside of Europe in over 1,000 years, since the Syrian native Pope St. Gregory III was elected in 731.
Francis chose his papal name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian saint known for his poverty and humility, virtues Francis strove to emulate during his pontificate.
As Pope, Francis was known for his advocacy and work for the poor, his push for peace in the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars, and his staunch and unremitting pro-life stance.
He was widely considered liberal compared to previous Catholic pontiffs. His first papal encyclical—a public letter written by popes, often addressing serious topics—focused on environmental issues.
Throughout his pontificate, Francis worked towards greater ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and cooperation, both with other Christians and non-Christian faiths. He pushed for an end to capital punishment, appeared to soften the Church’s stance on homosexuality, and recently criticized Vance, a convert to Catholicism, for supporting mass deportations, a policy Francis has repeatedly condemned.
While Francis was considered pro-LGBTQ by some, his support focused on a need for compassion towards those involved in homosexual unions, without altering the Catholic Church’s prohibition on same-sex marriage and its understanding of homosexual activity as a grave sin.
He vocally condemned radical gender ideology that says gender identity is completely unrelated to biological sex and that a child can undergo irreversible surgeries to appear more like the opposite sex.
Last year, Francis referred to gender ideology as the “ugliest danger” facing society, and argued that to erase the difference between the sexes “is to erase humanity.”
He also resisted liberalizing influences within the church pushing for the ordination of female priests, something he unequivocally refused to allow.
A papal conclave to select Francis’s successor must be held no earlier than 15 days, and no later than 20 days after the Pope’s death, meaning that it will begin between May 6 and May 11.
The papal conclave will take place with the cardinals sequestered in the Sistine Chapel and will continue until a new pope is selected, with no strict limit set on how long a conclave can last. The conclave to select Francis lasted approximately two days.
A cardinal, or another candidate, must receive two-thirds supermajority support from all cardinals younger than 80 to be elected. Older cardinals cannot vote during a papal conclave.
Although it is not technically required that a new pope be selected from among the existing cardinals, it is extremely unlikely that any non-cardinal will be chosen.
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