Vatican City, April 21, 2025 — With deep sorrow, the Catholic Church announces the death of Pope Francis, who passed away peacefully on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 AM, in his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican. He was 88 years old.

At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, formally announced his death with these words:

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. 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 the One and Triune God.”

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was the son of Italian immigrants and grew up in a working-class neighborhood. In 1958, he entered the Society of Jesus and was ordained a priest in 1969. Known for his humility, intelligence, and pastoral sensitivity, he became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

On March 13, 2013, Cardinal Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church — the first Jesuit, the first from the Americas, and the first non-European Pope in over 1,200 years. He chose the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, signaling a papacy focused on simplicity, care for the poor, and reverence for creation.

Throughout his twelve-year pontificate, Pope Francis championed the cause of the marginalized and called for a “Church of the poor, for the poor.” He issued landmark documents such as Laudato Si’, his encyclical on environmental stewardship, and Fratelli Tutti, a meditation on human fraternity and social friendship. His commitment to interreligious dialogue and global peace made him a respected moral leader far beyond the Catholic Church.

One of the most moving chapters of his papacy was his tireless commitment to peace in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Despite frail health, he undertook a historic journey to both nations in February 2023, becoming the first Pope to visit South Sudan. In a powerful gesture of humility and appeal, Pope Francis knelt and kissed the feet of South Sudanese leaders during a 2019 peace retreat at the Vatican, urging them to reconcile and serve their people with unity and compassion. His message resounded across conflict zones: “No more bloodshed, no more division, no more destruction. Peace is possible.”

In both countries, he stood alongside victims of violence, prayed with displaced families, and encouraged efforts for reconciliation, justice, and healing. His presence was a sign of hope to millions who have endured decades of conflict.

His papacy was also marked by efforts toward reform within the Church, particularly in financial transparency, clerical accountability, and decentralization of authority. He convened synods on the family, youth, the Amazon, and the future of synodality itself, often calling the Church to “go out to the peripheries” and listen with compassion.

Pope Francis faced numerous health challenges throughout his life. In his youth, he underwent lung surgery due to a severe respiratory infection. As he aged, respiratory illnesses became more frequent, and in February 2025, he was hospitalized with bilateral pneumonia. Despite initial recovery, his condition gradually worsened, and he returned to Casa Santa Marta to continue treatment.

In April 2024, foreseeing the natural progression of his illness, Pope Francis approved an updated edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the liturgical guide for papal funerals. He requested that his own funeral rites be marked by simplicity and focus on the Risen Christ, emphasizing his desire to be remembered as a humble pastor rather than a worldly figure of power.

Arrangements for the funeral are expected to be announced in the coming days. As the world mourns his passing, the faithful give thanks for his life, witness, and enduring legacy of mercy, justice, and hope.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.