Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Pope Francis Passes Away at 88: Vatican in Mourning
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88, according to reports from Italian media. The pontiff reportedly passed away approximately 90 minutes after awakening this morning. News of Pope Francis’s death has prompted widespread mourning and preparations for the selection of a new leader of the Catholic Church.
Details Surrounding the Pontiff’s Demise
According to Vatican sources, Pope Francis died at the Saint Martha residence within Vatican City. Doctors stated that he ‘expired peacefully’. Reports from Corriere della Serra indicate that the Pope awoke to his alarm at 6:00 am, began feeling unwell around 7:00 am, and succumbed to a stroke at approximately 7:30 am.
While the precise circumstances of his passing remain somewhat unclear, it is understood that his death was not related to the recent episode of double pneumonia for which he received hospital treatment earlier in the year.
Possible Cause of Death: Cerebral Hemorrhage
Italian news outlets La Repubblica and La Stampa have suggested that Pope Francis’s death was attributed to a ‘cerebral hemorrhage,’ possibly a stroke. These sources indicate that this condition was seemingly disconnected from the respiratory issues and pneumonia he experienced in February.
Vatican Announces Death, Tributes Pour In
The Holy See press service formally announced the Pontiff’s death shortly after it occurred. In a tribute, they stated that the Pope had devoted his ‘entire life’ to serving God and the Church.
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Funeral Arrangements and Lying in State
The body of the late Pope will lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica for a period of three days. Subsequently, burial is scheduled to take place in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican press office, indicated that the lying in state could commence as early as Wednesday.
Recent Health Battles and Final Public Appearance
The death of the Argentine pontiff, who had led the Catholic Church since March 2013, occurred less than a month after his discharge from hospital following a 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia.
In what became his final public act, Pope Francis greeted numerous worshipers in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday. This appearance marked his last opportunity to address the faithful before his death.
Easter Sunday Appearance Details
Notably, Pope Francis was not seen wearing a nasal cannula for oxygen support during his Easter Sunday appearance, despite having used it frequently in public since his hospital discharge. He was driven through a crowd estimated at 35,000 people.
The pontiff’s vehicle proceeded slowly through the crowds for approximately 50 minutes in warm temperatures. Italian media now speculate that medical professionals might have advised against such exposure, given his potentially weakened immune system following his bout with pneumonia.
Earlier on Easter Sunday, he delivered a message from the Vatican balcony, proclaiming, ‘Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter’. An aide then read the remainder of his annual Urbi et Orbi blessing and address, which included appeals for peace in Ukraine and Gaza.
Prior Health Issues and Recent Engagements
In the days preceding his death, Pope Francis reportedly told journalists that he was ‘living it as best I can’, acknowledging ongoing health challenges and reduced mobility, partly due to his age and physical condition.
Despite health concerns, the Pontiff maintained a demanding schedule until his final weeks. In September 2024, he undertook a 12-day international tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania, visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore.
Upon his discharge from the hospital last month, doctors recommended at least two months of rest at his Vatican residence.
According to a physician involved in his care, the pontiff experienced ‘two very critical episodes’ while hospitalized, during which his ‘life was in danger.’
However, he appeared reluctant to remain confined to his rooms at the Casa Santa Maria.
In his final weeks, Pope Francis made unscheduled appearances at the conclusion of Masses and during visits to St Peter’s Basilica, offering encouragement to the faithful regarding his recovering condition.
In the week before his death, he was seen in public on two occasions without the nasal cannula for oxygen.
On the day before his death, he held a brief meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert since 2019.
The Vatican described the meeting as lasting ‘a few minutes’ and providing ‘the opportunity to exchange greetings on Easter Sunday’.
The Vatican confirmed the meeting between the Vice President and the Pope was indeed ‘brief’.
Reportedly, Pope Francis gifted Vice President Vance three large chocolate Easter eggs for his children, who were not present.
Previously, there had been differences between the Pope and Vance regarding migration policies and the Trump administration’s migrant deportation plans. Pope Francis has consistently emphasized care for migrants as a central theme of his papacy.
The meeting with Vance had raised hopes for Pope Francis’s recovery, especially after he had reportedly declined to grant Vance an audience on Friday, officially due to health precautions, according to Corriere reports.
Confirmation of Death and Official Mourning Period
Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, officially announced Pope Francis’s death at 7:35 am local time (5:35 am GMT) today. This announcement followed earlier hopes of a steady recovery from double pneumonia after his recent hospital release.
‘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 of God,’ Cardinal Ferrell stated.
Pope Francis had been under ‘protected discharge’ since leaving the hospital on March 23, having been treated for a lung infection that developed into pneumonia in both lungs.
Despite his recent illness, he proceeded with a tour through a crowd of 35,000 people ‘for 50 minutes at 21 degrees’ on Easter Sunday, after delivering the Urbi et Orbi benediction with assistance.
In his Easter address, the Pope offered ‘Happy Easter’ greetings to Catholics and urged an end to global conflicts.
The Conclave, the assembly of cardinals to elect a successor, will not commence for at least 15 days following the Pope’s death.
The College of Cardinals will convene in Rome to begin the process of choosing a new Pope.
Conclave and Succession Process
The conclave adheres to specific protocols. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are permitted to vote.
Out of the 252 currently living cardinals, 138 are under 80 years of age and thus eligible to participate in the upcoming conclave.
The papal election will not occur for a minimum of 15 days, preceded by a nine-day period of official mourning.
During this interim period, the camerlengo, or chamberlain, assumes the role of interim chief with limited authority.
Canonization Postponement and Reactions to Pope’s Death
The Vatican has also announced the postponement of Sunday’s scheduled canonization of the Church’s first millennial saint, due to the Pope’s death.
Carlo Acutis, who died from leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, was slated to be formally declared a saint at a mass in the Holy See on April 27.
‘Following the death of the Sovereign Pontiff Francis, we inform you that the Eucharistic Celebration and Rite of Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis… has been postponed,’ stated a Vatican announcement.
Remembering Carlo Acutis: ‘God’s Influencer’
Carlo Acutis, often referred to as ‘God’s Influencer’ or the ‘Cyber Apostle’, dedicated much of his brief life to promoting the Catholic faith online.
Born in London on May 3, 1991, to Italian parents, Carlo primarily grew up in Milan. He often spent holidays in Assisi and ultimately passed away in Monza, northern Italy.
Despite his family’s affluence and non-observant religious background, Carlo developed a strong personal faith from an early age, attending mass daily.
Global Tributes and Condolences
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed deep sorrow at the news of Pope Francis’s death, calling him ‘a great man and a great shepherd’.
‘I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his counsel and his teachings, which never failed me, not even in times of trial and suffering,’ she said.
Meloni described her relationship with the Pope as ‘more active than was apparent’, noting that ‘It went well beyond our respective institutional roles.’
‘We’ve met many times, even just to exchange opinions. He was able to give comfort in very difficult moments, I have many memories of the Pope.’
King Charles also issued a tribute, stating Pope Francis would be ‘remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others’.
‘Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many,’ King Charles’s statement added. ‘The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month.’
French President Emmanuel Macron conveyed his condolences on social media, emphasizing Pope Francis’s desire for the Church to bring ‘joy and hope to the poorest’ and to ‘unite humans among themselves, and with nature.’
Notre-Dame Bells Toll in Homage
In Paris, the bells of Notre-Dame cathedral tolled 88 times on Monday in honor of Pope Francis, commemorating each year of his life.
According to the Notre-Dame press office, this initial sequence of ’88 rings for 88 years of life’ was to be followed by a more extensive ringing of the cathedral’s bells, preceding a noon mass and an evening mass dedicated to Pope Francis’s memory.