Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide, passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025. His death occurred at 7:35 a.m. in his residence at the Domus Sanctae Marthae within Vatican City, bringing to a close a transformative era for the Roman Catholic Church. His passing was formally announced by Vatican officials and has prompted an outpouring of global mourning and reflection.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was elected to the papacy in March 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He made history as the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit to become pontiff, and the first non-European pope in over 1,200 years. His leadership style, grounded in humility, pastoral care, and social consciousness, reshaped the image of the papacy and extended its relevance into modern debates around poverty, migration, environmental sustainability, and human rights.
During his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis became widely known for advocating a Church that serves the poor, embraces inclusivity, and engages in dialogue over division. He called for urgent action on climate change, emphasized the importance of economic justice, and promoted interfaith cooperation. Often departing from Vatican protocol, he chose to live in a modest guesthouse rather than the Apostolic Palace and frequently used his influence to spotlight issues affecting the vulnerable and marginalized.
In the final months of his life, Pope Francis faced numerous health challenges, including a serious respiratory infection earlier in 2025 that led to a bout of double pneumonia. Despite these issues, he continued to fulfill his papal duties, delivering what would become his final public blessing on Easter Sunday from St. Peter’s Basilica. Just a day later, his health took a fatal turn, ending a chapter in Catholic history marked by reform and outreach.
The Vatican has announced that his funeral will follow the pontiff’s expressed wishes for simplicity and humility. He will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome rather than in the traditional papal tombs beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. The Church has begun its customary nine-day mourning period, known as "novemdiales," with thousands expected to gather in Rome to pay their respects.
As per Church protocol, the College of Cardinals will assemble to initiate the conclave tasked with electing the next pope. The gathering is expected to begin between May 6 and May 11, providing time for prayerful deliberation and global attention on the future of the Church.
The passing of Pope Francis leaves behind a complex legacy that will be studied and debated for generations. For many, he was a reformer who sought to humanize the Catholic Church and make it more accessible in a rapidly changing world. His positions on contentious issues such as LGBTQ+ inclusion, clerical abuse reform, and environmental responsibility broke traditional boundaries and invited both praise and criticism from different corners of the religious and political spectrum.
His papacy often walked a fine line between progressive values and established doctrine, striving to maintain unity within a global institution steeped in centuries of tradition. While not all of his aspirations translated into permanent structural changes, the tone and direction he set for the Catholic Church will likely influence its path for decades. As the Church prepares to elect his successor, the global community watches with anticipation, pondering how the next pope might build upon—or diverge from—the foundation laid by one of the most influential pontiffs of the modern era.