 "Pope Francis passes away at 88, says Vatican")
Pope Francis, the first Latin American head of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on Monday at age 88. The Vatican confirmed the news in a video statement,. This marked the end of an often turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.
The pope had suffered various ailments in his 12-year papacy. “Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta,” the Vatican church said in a statement.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/jUIkbplVi2
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in an announcement.
Francis, who suffered from a chronic lung disease, had part of one lung removed as a young man. In February this year, he was admitted to Gemelli Hospital for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe man did his duties till his final days
After Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital, his medical team said that his condition had stabilised, allowing him to continue his convalescence at his Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. Two weeks after leaving the hospital, he made a surprise appearance on Sunday.
Hours before the news of his passing came, the Pope emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square. “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!” Francis said, while addressing a massive gathering that had come to see the Vatican sovereign.
Francis didn’t celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica. But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes and imparted the apostolic blessing in Latin.
On his way to the basilica, Francis briefly met US Vice President JD Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family. The Vatican said the encounter lasted just a few minutes and was designed to allow for an exchange of Easter greetings.
During the exchange, Pope Francis gave Vance three big chocolate Easter eggs to give to his three young children. “I know you have not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health,” Vance told the pope. “Thank you for seeing me.”
What happens next
Traditionally, a funeral of the Pope has been an elaborate affair. However, Francis recently approved plans to make the procedure less extravagant. Past pontiffs were buried in three nested coffins made of cypress, lead and oak. Meanwhile, Francis has opted for a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.
The current Pope also scrapped the tradition of placing the Pope’s body on a raised platform - known as a catafalque - in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. Instead, mourners will be invited to pay their respects while his body remains inside the coffin, with the lid removed.
Interestingly, Francis will be the first Pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican. He will be laid to rest in the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of four major papal basilicas in Rome. The new Pope will then be chosen by the Catholic Church’s most senior officials, known as the College of Cardinals. There are currently 252 Catholic cardinals, 138 of whom are eligible to vote for the new Pope.
This is a developing story.
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