Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church has passed away, the Vatican announced on Monday.
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.
“This morning at 7:35 a.m. (8:35 a.m. Latvian time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house,” the cardinal added, emphasizing that “his entire life was devoted to serving the Lord and His Church.”
“He taught us to live in accordance with the values of the Gospel—with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially toward the poorest and most marginalized,” the statement said.
As recently as Sunday, the 88-year-old Francis greeted the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. However, due to poor health, he did not personally deliver the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) message. In his message, the pope called for respect for freedom of thought and encouraged tolerance.
Since returning to the Vatican on March 23 after a 38-day hospital stay, Francis had appeared in public only a few times. He had been recovering from pneumonia in both lungs. His life was reportedly endangered at least twice during his hospitalization.
Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of Rome on March 13, 2013, and took the name Francis in honor of the 13th-century mystic Saint Francis of Assisi, who renounced his wealth and dedicated his life to the poor.
He became the first pope from Latin America and was a passionate defender of society’s outcasts—from migrants to communities devastated by climate change.
Known as “the people’s pope,” Francis was popular among the faithful and often considered a radical cleric who helped shape a more compassionate Catholic Church. However, he did not pursue reforms of the Church’s centuries-old dogmas.
He was a humble man who wore simple clothing, avoided the opulent papal palaces, and often made phone calls himself—sometimes reaching out to widows, rape victims, or prisoners.
The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, an avid football fan, was more accessible than his predecessors. He spoke with young people on topics ranging from social media to pornography and was open about his health struggles.
One of his most memorable quotes came in July 2013, when he addressed the topic of homosexuality: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”
Over time, his popularity began to decline, as those hoping for more radical changes realized they would not materialize. Meanwhile, defenders of traditional Catholic values openly called for his resignation, arguing that reforms such as allowing the faithful to divorce undermined the dogma of the indissolubility of marriage.
In recent years, the pope’s health had deteriorated. He underwent colon surgery in 2021, followed by hernia surgery in 2023. He also suffered from bouts of bronchitis and knee pain, which eventually forced him to use a wheelchair.