Pope Francis Passes Away Early Monday Morning

At the age of 88, Pope Francis, the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its first Latin American pontiff, died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025. Medical professionals from the Vatican declared his death arose from a stroke which led to heart failure, while he stayed at his residence at Casa Santa Marta.​

Vatican News

A Papacy of Firsts and Reform

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, Pope Francis secured the papacy in March 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI decided to step down. His accomplishments included being the first Jesuit, the first from North America, and the first non-European to become pope after 1,000 years. This 12-year leadership of the papacy under Francis concentrated on embracing humility, inclusivity, and social justice initiatives. Through his efforts, the pope represented the poor population and brought awareness to climate change while pursuing Church modernization, which disputed established conservative ideologies.​

Final Days and Global Tributes

Although suffering from health problems and completing pneumonia treatment, Pope Francis gave his last public Easter Sunday blessing. The meeting between Pope Francis and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance took place the next day as the leader of the Catholic Church seemed noticeably unwell to Vance. King Charles III visited the Pope on April 9 to share both his sadness about the passing and his admiration for the Pope's powerful legacy, which combined unity and compassionate behavior.​