Pope Francis has passed away. Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the pope’s death on April 21, 2025, saying, “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
He was admitted to the hospital on February 14, 2025, for a respiratory infection. He then developed bilateral pneumonia, which can be difficult to treat. His health has struggled since then. The pope was 88 years old at the time of his death — the second oldest pope in history.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was the head of the Catholic Church since March 13, 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI. Prior to his papacy, he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires and was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001. He was the first pope from the Jesuit Order and the first from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere.
Pope Francis was known for being more progressive and less formal than other popes. He resided in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guest house instead of the papal apartments, he made women full members of the dicasteries, he was more open to the LGBTQ community, he criticized capitalism, and he took action on climate change.
Over the years, he has had a number of respiratory health issues, including previous hospitalizations for bronchitis. During the second week of February 2025, the pope’s health declined; during public appearances, he struggled to speak and sounded breathless. He was hospitalized on February 14. On February 17, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis was suffering from a “polymicrobial respiratory infection.”
As soon as the pope’s death was announced, just a day after Easter, mourners began gathering outside the Vatican to pay their respects. The Vatican announced that a public viewing for Pope Francis may take place as soon April 23.
