Breaking News: Pope Francis, dies on Easter Monday

Rome
CNN
—
Pope Francis, a voice for the poor who overcame fierce resistance to reshape the Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, the Vatican announced.

The pope passed away the morning after the holiest day in the Christian year, when the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Despite his poor health, Francis was seen a number of times in public at the Vatican during Holy Week, culminating in an Easter Sunday appearance where he delighted crowds at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Francis

Pope Francis suffered a severe health crisis earlier this year and was hospitalized for five weeks with double pneumonia. He was discharged last month and was convalescing at his residence at Casa Santa Marta at the Vatican. The Vatican said as recently as last week that he was improving.

The pope continued to hold engagements up to Easter Sunday, when he met briefly with US Vice President JD Vance.

Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s, although an aide read out the Urbi et Orbi on his behalf.

World
World Europe
Pope Francis, voice for the poor who transformed the Catholic Church, dies on Easter Monday
B Christopher Lamb, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Ivana Kottasová
5 minute read
Updated 6:26 AM EDT, Mon April 21, 2025
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Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter’s basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter’s square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
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Rome
CNN
—
Pope Francis, a voice for the poor who overcame fierce resistance to reshape the Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, the Vatican announced.

The pope passed away the morning after the holiest day in the Christian year, when the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Despite his poor health, Francis was seen a number of times in public at the Vatican during Holy Week, culminating in an Easter Sunday appearance where he delighted crowds at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The pope’s death was announced “with deep sorrow” by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, who said Francis died at 7:35 a.m local time (1.35 a.m. ET). Until a new pope is chosen, Farrell acts as the head of the Vatican.

“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 Triune God,” the statement concluded.

Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter’s basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter’s square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
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The latest on the death of Pope Francis

Francis suffered a severe health crisis earlier this year and was hospitalized for five weeks with double pneumonia. He was discharged last month and was convalescing at his residence at Casa Santa Marta at the Vatican. The Vatican said as recently as last week that he was improving.

The pope continued to hold engagements up to Easter Sunday, when he met briefly with US Vice President JD Vance.

Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s, although an aide read out the Urbi et Orbi on his behalf.

Vance said on X on Monday that he was happy to have seen the pope “though he was obviously very ill.”

“My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance said.

The pope’s tireless advocacy for migrants saw him sharply criticize US President Donald Trump’s immigration deportation policies in the months before his death.

Francis, whose pontificate was a counterweight to the rise of nationalist populism, often found himself under fire from powerful conservative Catholic forces in the US.

Condolences and tributes started to pour in shortly after the announcement was made.

The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the pope “a great man and a great pastor,” and said she “had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering.”

Meloni said the pope “asked the world, once again, for the courage to change direction, to follow a path that ‘does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, protects,’” adding that she will “walk in this direction.”

Javier Milei, the President of Francis’s home country Argentina, said that “having been able to know him in his kindness and wisdom was a true honor for me.”

Milei has clashed with the pope in the past over his country’s economic policies. On Monday, he said their differences “seem minor today.”

Britain’s King Charles said the pope will 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.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X the pope “inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate.”

World
World Europe
Pope Francis, voice for the poor who transformed the Catholic Church, dies on Easter Monday
B Christopher Lamb, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Ivana Kottasová
5 minute read
Updated 6:26 AM EDT, Mon April 21, 2025
NOW PLAYING
See the moment Vatican announces death of Pope Francis

00:07
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01:25

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See the moment Vatican announces death of Pope Francis
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Rome
CNN
—
Pope Francis, a voice for the poor who overcame fierce resistance to reshape the Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, the Vatican announced.

The pope passed away the morning after the holiest day in the Christian year, when the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Despite his poor health, Francis was seen a number of times in public at the Vatican during Holy Week, culminating in an Easter Sunday appearance where he delighted crowds at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The pope’s death was announced “with deep sorrow” by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, who said Francis died at 7:35 a.m local time (1.35 a.m. ET). Until a new pope is chosen, Farrell acts as the head of the Vatican.

“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 Triune God,” the statement concluded.

Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter’s basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter’s square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
Related live story
The latest on the death of Pope Francis

Francis suffered a severe health crisis earlier this year and was hospitalized for five weeks with double pneumonia. He was discharged last month and was convalescing at his residence at Casa Santa Marta at the Vatican. The Vatican said as recently as last week that he was improving.

The pope continued to hold engagements up to Easter Sunday, when he met briefly with US Vice President JD Vance.

Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s, although an aide read out the Urbi et Orbi on his behalf.

Vance said on X on Monday that he was happy to have seen the pope “though he was obviously very ill.”

“My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance said.

The pope’s tireless advocacy for migrants saw him sharply criticize US President Donald Trump’s immigration deportation policies in the months before his death.

Francis, whose pontificate was a counterweight to the rise of nationalist populism, often found himself under fire from powerful conservative Catholic forces in the US.

The Pope meets with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican in April 2025.
Pope Francis attends Easter Sunday Mass and delivers the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from Saint Peter’s Square in April 2025.
Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP) (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis, seen at left with his brother Oscar, was born on December 17, 1936. He was the eldest child of Mario and Regina Bergoglio, Italian immigrants in Argentina.
Francis, seen at left with his brother Oscar, was born on December 17, 1936. He was the eldest child of Mario and Regina Bergoglio, Italian immigrants in Argentina.
Family Photo
Francis as a young boy.
Francis with his parents in 1958.
Francis was ordained as a priest in 1969. In high school, he studied to become a chemical technician.
Francis poses for a photo during an Easter procession in 2000. A couple of years earlier he had become the archbishop of Buenos Aires.
In 2001, Francis was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II.
Francis greets parishioners in Buenos Aires.
The future pope washes a woman’s feet at a maternity hospital in Buenos Aires in 2005.
Francis meets Pope Benedict XVI, the man he would eventually succeed, while on a trip to the Vatican in 2007.
Francis takes public transportation before celebrating Mass in Buenos Aires in 2008. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio took the bus to work and cooked his own meals.
Francis holds Mass outside a church in Buenos Aires in 2009.
Francis gives holy communion to Roberto Bendini, Argentina’s former army chief, in 2009.
Francis waves to the crowd from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after he was elected as the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. Benedict XVI had announced his retirement a month earlier, citing his “advanced age.”
People watch the new Pope after he was introduced at the Vatican. In addition to being the first Latin American pope and the first from the Americas, Francis is also the first Jesuit pope. He’s also the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years.
A day after his election, the Pope pays his lodging bill at the Paulus VI, where he stayed during conclave.
The Pope answers reporters’ questions while flying back from a trip to Brazil in July 2013. During the impromptu news conference, the Pope said that he would not “judge” gays and lesbians, including gay priests. “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” he said. Many saw the move as the opening of a more tolerant era in the Catholic Church.
In November 2013, the Pope dons a red nose with members of the Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus. The charity uses clown therapy in hospitals, nursing homes and orphanages.
Francis was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2013.
The Pope is presented with a gift by Argentine President Cristina Fernández during a private audience at the Vatican in March 2014.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have an audience with the Pope during their one-day visit to Rome in April 2014.
Francis prays next to a rabbi at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City in May 2014. The Pope went on a three-day trip to the Holy Land, and he was accompanied by Jewish and Muslim leaders from his home country of Argentina.
The Pope signs a guestbook while meeting with bishops in Seoul, South Korea, in August 2014.
The Pope kisses a girl during a special audience at the Vatican in November 2014.
Francis blows out candles on a cake as he celebrated his 78th birthday in December 2014.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, right, greets Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in February 2015.
Pope Francis prays on the floor of St. Peter’s Basilica while observing Good Friday in April 2015.
People in Quito, Ecuador, gather near a huge video screen broadcasting the Pope’s visit to the city in July 2015.
Francis shakes hands with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in September 2015. During his trip to Cuba, the Pope praised the reconciliations taking place between Cuba and the United States.
Francis addresses a joint session of the US Congress in September 2015.
The Pope walks with US President Barack Obama prior to an Oval Office meeting at the White House in September 2015. It was his first trip to the United States. During the trip, Francis also visited St. Matthew’s Cathedral and held a Mass on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Pope waves to a crowd from the US Capitol in September 2015.
Pope Francis speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. During his speech, he urged world leaders to adopt concrete solutions to combat widespread poverty and environmental destruction.
The Pope celebrates Mass at New York’s Madison Square Garden during his trip to the United States.
The Pope kisses a baby at the Vatican in October 2015.
Francis tries on a traditional sombrero he received as a gift from a Mexican journalist while on a flight to the country in February 2016.
Pope Francis waves to the crowd after celebrating Mass in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, in February 2016.
The Pope meets migrants at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos in April 2016. He received an emotional welcome during a visit in which he showed solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty.
Francis passes the main entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former concentration camp in Poland, in July 2016. The Pope was there to pay tribute to those who died in the Holocaust.
The Pope releases a dove as a symbol of peace while in Tbilisi, Georgia, in September 2016.
Francis and a group of cardinals meet with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a chapel at the Vatican in November 2016.
The Pope poses with members of the International Rural Catholic Association while at the Vatican in December 2016.
Francis and Pope Tawadros II, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, sign a joint declaration in Cairo in April 2017. Francis was on a two-day trip to Egypt to forge Muslim-Christian brotherhood and show solidarity with the country’s persecuted Coptic Christian minority.
Francis stands with US President Donald Trump and his family during a private audience at the Vatican in May 2017. Joining the President are his wife, Melania, and his daughter Ivanka.
The Pope speaks to the crew aboard the International Space Station in October 2017. It was second papal phone call to space: Pope Benedict XVI rang the space station in 2011.
Francis leads the Way of the Cross torchlight procession in front of the Colosseum in Rome in March 2018.
The Pope is greeted by a group of nuns at the Vatican in August 2018.
Francis arrives with the “popemobile” in St. Peter’s Square in October 2018.
Francis celebrates Mass as seven new saints were recognized in October 2018.
The Pope waves to people in St. Peter’s Square in November 2018.
Pope Francis is framed by cell phones as he greets people at the Vatican in January 2019.
The Pope celebrates Mass in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in February 2019. It was the first time a pope has visited an Arab Gulf state, and it was the first time a pope had celebrated Mass in the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam.
Francis receives Russian President Vladimir Putin and his delegation in July 2019.
The Pope walks with cardinals during a Palm Sunday Mass in April 2019.
The Pope delivers a speech during a meeting of religious leaders at a university in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2019. Thailand was the start of a seven-day Asia trip that also saw the Pope visit Japan.
The Pope walks out from Assumption Cathedral as young people reach out to touch him in Bangkok.
The Pope delivers his weekly blessing from the window of his private library in March 2020. St. Peter’s Square is normally swarming with tens of thousands of visitors, but the Vatican was on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Pope prays with priests in a Vatican courtyard in September 2020.
Francis, surrounded by the remains of destroyed churches, is driven in Mosul, Iraq, in March 2021. The Pope was in Iraq for four days. It was the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, and it was Francis’ first trip outside Italy since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Pope celebrates Easter Mass in April 2021.
Francis shakes hands with a man dressed as Spider-Man while visiting with people at the Vatican in June 2021. The masked man, who works with sick children in hospitals, also gave a Spider-Man mask to the Pope.
The Pope holds Mass at the Vatican in September 2021.
US President Joe Biden gives the Pope a challenge coin during his trip to the Vatican in October 2021. Between them is Italian translator Elisabetta Savigni Ullmann. Challenge coins originated in the military, and this one included the insignia of a Delaware Army National Guard unit that Biden’s son Beau served in. Biden said during his visit that coins are given to “warriors and leaders” and that the pope is “the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met.” Biden, a devout lifelong Catholic, met with the Pope for 90 minutes and said he discussed “a lot of personal things” with the pontiff. It was the fourth meeting between Francis and Biden, but their first since Biden became President.
The Pope boards a flight to Malta in April 2022.
The Pope shows a flag that was brought to him from Bucha, Ukraine, during one of his general audiences at the Vatican in April 2022.
The Pope leads a prayer from his window at the Vatican in June 2022.
The Pope dons a headdress while visiting with Indigenous people in Maskwacis, Alberta, in July 2022. As he kicked off a weeklong “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada, Francis spoke of his “sorrow, indignation and shame” over the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse of Canadian Indigenous children in residential schools. He apologized and promised a “serious investigation” into what happened.
The Pope speaks with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa during their meeting in Awali, Bahrain, in November 2022.
Pope Francis touches the coffin of former Pope Benedict XVI in January 2023. Benedict’s funeral was attended by tens of thousands at St. Peter’s Square.
The Pope leaves Ndjili International Airport to attend a meeting in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, in January 2023. Francis’ visit to the DRC — the first papal visit since 1985 — was part of a six-day trip that also included South Sudan. In those two countries, Catholics comprise about half of the population and the Church is a key stakeholder in health and education systems as well as in democracy-building efforts.
Pope Francis consoles Serena Subania, whose 5-year-old daughter, Angelica, died the day before he left a hospital in Rome in April 2023. He was discharged after receiving treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said.
The Pope leaves Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square in April 2023. It was a day after he was discharged from the hospital, where he was treated for a respiratory infection.
Pope Francis meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican in May 2023. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and the Pope since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Pope has been outspoken in his support for an end to the war.
The Pope waves to people in St. Peter’s Square in June 2023. He was on his way to a Rome hospital for abdominal surgery. The procedure was to repair a hernia that the Vatican said was causing “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms.
Pope Francis is welcomed by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after landing in Lisbon, Portugal, to attend a World Youth Day gathering in August 2023.
Pope Francis greets a child during a welcoming ceremony in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in September 2023.
Pope Francis appears on a giant monitor set up in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square in December 2023. Francis led his customary Angelus prayer from his home rather than from the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace overlooking the square. He was suffering from what he described as “severe bronchitis,” and he was avoiding being exposed to the cold weather.
The Pope drinks mate offered by Argentinian pilgrims who were visiting the Vatican in January 2024.
Pope Francis arrives for his weekly general audience in February 2024. He was later taken to the hospital with flu symptoms.
Pope Francis takes part in a working session on artificial intelligence during the G7 summit near Bari, Italy, in June 2024. Francis, the first pope to participate in the summit, is determined to use the soft power of his office to try to ensure that the development of AI serves humanity and does not turn into a 21st-century Frankenstein’s monster.
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Pope Francis watch as the honor guards march past during a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 4, 2024.
Pope Francis greets people from a car after leading a Holy Mass at the Esplanade of Tasi Tolu in Dili, East Timor, on September 10, 2024.

The Pope presides over a Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican in December 2024.
The Pope blesses a baby during his weekly general audience at the Vatican in January 2025.
Pope Francis is joined by nuns at the Vatican in February 2025.
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican in February 2025. Later that day, the Pope was admitted to a hospital in Rome. It was later announced that he was battling pneumonia in both of his lungs.
In March 2025, the Vatican released this photo of the Pope inside the chapel of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. It was the first released photo of the Pope after his hospitalization. He was seen wearing a stole, a vestment worn to concelebrate Mass. Concelebration means to be among the priests presiding over the Mass.
Pope Francis makes a public appearance on the day he was discharged from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome in March 2025. Though he looked frail and struggled to speak, he addressed the crowd outside the hospital, thanking them and acknowledging one woman in the crowd who was holding flowers. He also gave a blessing, though he appeared to have some difficulty raising his arms.
The Pope meets with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican in April 2025.
Pope Francis attends Easter Sunday Mass and delivers the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from Saint Peter’s Square in April 2025.
Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP) (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis, seen at left with his brother Oscar, was born on December 17, 1936. He was the eldest child of Mario and Regina Bergoglio, Italian immigrants in Argentina.
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Condolences and tributes started to pour in shortly after the announcement was made.

The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the pope “a great man and a great pastor,” and said she “had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering.”

Meloni said the pope “asked the world, once again, for the courage to change direction, to follow a path that ‘does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, protects,’” adding that she will “walk in this direction.”

Javier Milei, the President of Francis’s home country Argentina, said that “having been able to know him in his kindness and wisdom was a true honor for me.”

Milei has clashed with the pope in the past over his country’s economic policies. On Monday, he said their differences “seem minor today.”

Britain’s King Charles said the pope will 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.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X the pope “inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply pained” by the news.

Death comes after long hospital stay
The death of Francis, who became the first Latin American pontiff in 2013 and was one of the oldest popes in the church’s history, came weeks after he was discharged from a Rome hospital having battled a life-threatening case of pneumonia in both lungs.

His medical team said his condition had stabilized, allowing for him to continue his convalescence at his Casa Santa Marta residence back at the Vatican.

Two weeks after leaving hospital, he delighted the faithful by making a surprise appearance at St. Peter’s Square.

He has made a number of appearances since then, including spending 30 minutes at a prison in Rome on Thursday and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening.

His death will open a debate about the future direction of the Catholic Church, with cardinals from across the globe expected to gather in Rome in the coming days to mourn the pontiff and then elect his successor.

An outsider figure and the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years, Francis championed the poor, migrants and the environment, but divisions over same-sex relationships and how to tackle abuse scandals within the church persisted throughout his pontificate.

First Latin American and Jesuit to be elected
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Italian migrants in Buenos Aires in 1936, was the first Latin American and member of the Jesuit order to be elected pope in the church’s 2,000-year history. He was also the first pope to call himself Francis.

The Argentinian pontiff quickly gained a reputation as a modernizer, with an outward-facing approach which saw him speak out boldly on humanitarian crises, such as migration, war and climate change.

World
World Europe
Pope Francis, voice for the poor who transformed the Catholic Church, dies on Easter Monday
B Christopher Lamb, Lauren Said-Moorhouse and Ivana Kottasová
5 minute read
Updated 6:26 AM EDT, Mon April 21, 2025
NOW PLAYING
See the moment Vatican announces death of Pope Francis

00:07
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01:25

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See the moment Vatican announces death of Pope Francis
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Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter’s basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter’s square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
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Pope Francis, a voice for the poor who overcame fierce resistance to reshape the Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, the Vatican announced.

The pope passed away the morning after the holiest day in the Christian year, when the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Despite his poor health, Francis was seen a number of times in public at the Vatican during Holy Week, culminating in an Easter Sunday appearance where he delighted crowds at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The pope’s death was announced “with deep sorrow” by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, who said Francis died at 7:35 a.m local time (1.35 a.m. ET). Until a new pope is chosen, Farrell acts as the head of the Vatican.

“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 Triune God,” the statement concluded.

Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter’s basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter’s square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
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The latest on the death of Pope Francis

Francis suffered a severe health crisis earlier this year and was hospitalized for five weeks with double pneumonia. He was discharged last month and was convalescing at his residence at Casa Santa Marta at the Vatican. The Vatican said as recently as last week that he was improving.

The pope continued to hold engagements up to Easter Sunday, when he met briefly with US Vice President JD Vance.

Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s, although an aide read out the Urbi et Orbi on his behalf.

Vance said on X on Monday that he was happy to have seen the pope “though he was obviously very ill.”

“My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance said.

The pope’s tireless advocacy for migrants saw him sharply criticize US President Donald Trump’s immigration deportation policies in the months before his death.

Francis, whose pontificate was a counterweight to the rise of nationalist populism, often found himself under fire from powerful conservative Catholic forces in the US.

The Pope meets with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican in April 2025.
Pope Francis attends Easter Sunday Mass and delivers the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from Saint Peter’s Square in April 2025.
Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP) (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis, seen at left with his brother Oscar, was born on December 17, 1936. He was the eldest child of Mario and Regina Bergoglio, Italian immigrants in Argentina.
Francis, seen at left with his brother Oscar, was born on December 17, 1936. He was the eldest child of Mario and Regina Bergoglio, Italian immigrants in Argentina.
Family Photo
Francis as a young boy.
Francis with his parents in 1958.
Francis was ordained as a priest in 1969. In high school, he studied to become a chemical technician.
Francis poses for a photo during an Easter procession in 2000. A couple of years earlier he had become the archbishop of Buenos Aires.
In 2001, Francis was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II.
Francis greets parishioners in Buenos Aires.
The future pope washes a woman’s feet at a maternity hospital in Buenos Aires in 2005.
Francis meets Pope Benedict XVI, the man he would eventually succeed, while on a trip to the Vatican in 2007.
Francis takes public transportation before celebrating Mass in Buenos Aires in 2008. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio took the bus to work and cooked his own meals.
Francis holds Mass outside a church in Buenos Aires in 2009.
Francis gives holy communion to Roberto Bendini, Argentina’s former army chief, in 2009.
Francis waves to the crowd from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after he was elected as the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. Benedict XVI had announced his retirement a month earlier, citing his “advanced age.”
People watch the new Pope after he was introduced at the Vatican. In addition to being the first Latin American pope and the first from the Americas, Francis is also the first Jesuit pope. He’s also the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years.
A day after his election, the Pope pays his lodging bill at the Paulus VI, where he stayed during conclave.
The Pope answers reporters’ questions while flying back from a trip to Brazil in July 2013. During the impromptu news conference, the Pope said that he would not “judge” gays and lesbians, including gay priests. “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” he said. Many saw the move as the opening of a more tolerant era in the Catholic Church.
In November 2013, the Pope dons a red nose with members of the Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus. The charity uses clown therapy in hospitals, nursing homes and orphanages.
Francis was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2013.
The Pope is presented with a gift by Argentine President Cristina Fernández during a private audience at the Vatican in March 2014.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip have an audience with the Pope during their one-day visit to Rome in April 2014.
Francis prays next to a rabbi at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City in May 2014. The Pope went on a three-day trip to the Holy Land, and he was accompanied by Jewish and Muslim leaders from his home country of Argentina.
The Pope signs a guestbook while meeting with bishops in Seoul, South Korea, in August 2014.
The Pope kisses a girl during a special audience at the Vatican in November 2014.
Francis blows out candles on a cake as he celebrated his 78th birthday in December 2014.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, right, greets Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in February 2015.
Pope Francis prays on the floor of St. Peter’s Basilica while observing Good Friday in April 2015.
People in Quito, Ecuador, gather near a huge video screen broadcasting the Pope’s visit to the city in July 2015.
Francis shakes hands with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in September 2015. During his trip to Cuba, the Pope praised the reconciliations taking place between Cuba and the United States.
Francis addresses a joint session of the US Congress in September 2015.
The Pope walks with US President Barack Obama prior to an Oval Office meeting at the White House in September 2015. It was his first trip to the United States. During the trip, Francis also visited St. Matthew’s Cathedral and held a Mass on the grounds of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
The Pope waves to a crowd from the US Capitol in September 2015.
Pope Francis speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. During his speech, he urged world leaders to adopt concrete solutions to combat widespread poverty and environmental destruction.
The Pope celebrates Mass at New York’s Madison Square Garden during his trip to the United States.
The Pope kisses a baby at the Vatican in October 2015.
Francis tries on a traditional sombrero he received as a gift from a Mexican journalist while on a flight to the country in February 2016.
Pope Francis waves to the crowd after celebrating Mass in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, in February 2016.
The Pope meets migrants at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos in April 2016. He received an emotional welcome during a visit in which he showed solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty.
Francis passes the main entrance to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former concentration camp in Poland, in July 2016. The Pope was there to pay tribute to those who died in the Holocaust.
The Pope releases a dove as a symbol of peace while in Tbilisi, Georgia, in September 2016.
Francis and a group of cardinals meet with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in a chapel at the Vatican in November 2016.
The Pope poses with members of the International Rural Catholic Association while at the Vatican in December 2016.
Francis and Pope Tawadros II, the head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, sign a joint declaration in Cairo in April 2017. Francis was on a two-day trip to Egypt to forge Muslim-Christian brotherhood and show solidarity with the country’s persecuted Coptic Christian minority.
Francis stands with US President Donald Trump and his family during a private audience at the Vatican in May 2017. Joining the President are his wife, Melania, and his daughter Ivanka.
The Pope speaks to the crew aboard the International Space Station in October 2017. It was second papal phone call to space: Pope Benedict XVI rang the space station in 2011.
Francis leads the Way of the Cross torchlight procession in front of the Colosseum in Rome in March 2018.
The Pope is greeted by a group of nuns at the Vatican in August 2018.
Francis arrives with the “popemobile” in St. Peter’s Square in October 2018.
Francis celebrates Mass as seven new saints were recognized in October 2018.
The Pope waves to people in St. Peter’s Square in November 2018.
Pope Francis is framed by cell phones as he greets people at the Vatican in January 2019.
The Pope celebrates Mass in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in February 2019. It was the first time a pope has visited an Arab Gulf state, and it was the first time a pope had celebrated Mass in the Arabian Peninsula, the birthplace of Islam.
Francis receives Russian President Vladimir Putin and his delegation in July 2019.
The Pope walks with cardinals during a Palm Sunday Mass in April 2019.
The Pope delivers a speech during a meeting of religious leaders at a university in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2019. Thailand was the start of a seven-day Asia trip that also saw the Pope visit Japan.
The Pope walks out from Assumption Cathedral as young people reach out to touch him in Bangkok.
The Pope delivers his weekly blessing from the window of his private library in March 2020. St. Peter’s Square is normally swarming with tens of thousands of visitors, but the Vatican was on lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Pope prays with priests in a Vatican courtyard in September 2020.
Francis, surrounded by the remains of destroyed churches, is driven in Mosul, Iraq, in March 2021. The Pope was in Iraq for four days. It was the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, and it was Francis’ first trip outside Italy since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Pope celebrates Easter Mass in April 2021.
Francis shakes hands with a man dressed as Spider-Man while visiting with people at the Vatican in June 2021. The masked man, who works with sick children in hospitals, also gave a Spider-Man mask to the Pope.
The Pope holds Mass at the Vatican in September 2021.
US President Joe Biden gives the Pope a challenge coin during his trip to the Vatican in October 2021. Between them is Italian translator Elisabetta Savigni Ullmann. Challenge coins originated in the military, and this one included the insignia of a Delaware Army National Guard unit that Biden’s son Beau served in. Biden said during his visit that coins are given to “warriors and leaders” and that the pope is “the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met.” Biden, a devout lifelong Catholic, met with the Pope for 90 minutes and said he discussed “a lot of personal things” with the pontiff. It was the fourth meeting between Francis and Biden, but their first since Biden became President.
The Pope boards a flight to Malta in April 2022.
The Pope shows a flag that was brought to him from Bucha, Ukraine, during one of his general audiences at the Vatican in April 2022.
The Pope leads a prayer from his window at the Vatican in June 2022.
The Pope dons a headdress while visiting with Indigenous people in Maskwacis, Alberta, in July 2022. As he kicked off a weeklong “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada, Francis spoke of his “sorrow, indignation and shame” over the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse of Canadian Indigenous children in residential schools. He apologized and promised a “serious investigation” into what happened.
The Pope speaks with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa during their meeting in Awali, Bahrain, in November 2022.
Pope Francis touches the coffin of former Pope Benedict XVI in January 2023. Benedict’s funeral was attended by tens of thousands at St. Peter’s Square.
The Pope leaves Ndjili International Airport to attend a meeting in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, in January 2023. Francis’ visit to the DRC — the first papal visit since 1985 — was part of a six-day trip that also included South Sudan. In those two countries, Catholics comprise about half of the population and the Church is a key stakeholder in health and education systems as well as in democracy-building efforts.
Pope Francis consoles Serena Subania, whose 5-year-old daughter, Angelica, died the day before he left a hospital in Rome in April 2023. He was discharged after receiving treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said.
The Pope leaves Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square in April 2023. It was a day after he was discharged from the hospital, where he was treated for a respiratory infection.
Pope Francis meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican in May 2023. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and the Pope since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Pope has been outspoken in his support for an end to the war.
The Pope waves to people in St. Peter’s Square in June 2023. He was on his way to a Rome hospital for abdominal surgery. The procedure was to repair a hernia that the Vatican said was causing “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms.
Pope Francis is welcomed by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa after landing in Lisbon, Portugal, to attend a World Youth Day gathering in August 2023.
Pope Francis greets a child during a welcoming ceremony in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in September 2023.
Pope Francis appears on a giant monitor set up in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square in December 2023. Francis led his customary Angelus prayer from his home rather than from the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace overlooking the square. He was suffering from what he described as “severe bronchitis,” and he was avoiding being exposed to the cold weather.
The Pope drinks mate offered by Argentinian pilgrims who were visiting the Vatican in January 2024.
Pope Francis arrives for his weekly general audience in February 2024. He was later taken to the hospital with flu symptoms.
Pope Francis takes part in a working session on artificial intelligence during the G7 summit near Bari, Italy, in June 2024. Francis, the first pope to participate in the summit, is determined to use the soft power of his office to try to ensure that the development of AI serves humanity and does not turn into a 21st-century Frankenstein’s monster.
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Pope Francis watch as the honor guards march past during a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 4, 2024.
Pope Francis greets people from a car after leading a Holy Mass at the Esplanade of Tasi Tolu in Dili, East Timor, on September 10, 2024.

The Pope presides over a Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican in December 2024.
The Pope blesses a baby during his weekly general audience at the Vatican in January 2025.
Pope Francis is joined by nuns at the Vatican in February 2025.
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican in February 2025. Later that day, the Pope was admitted to a hospital in Rome. It was later announced that he was battling pneumonia in both of his lungs.
In March 2025, the Vatican released this photo of the Pope inside the chapel of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. It was the first released photo of the Pope after his hospitalization. He was seen wearing a stole, a vestment worn to concelebrate Mass. Concelebration means to be among the priests presiding over the Mass.
Pope Francis makes a public appearance on the day he was discharged from the Gemelli Hospital in Rome in March 2025. Though he looked frail and struggled to speak, he addressed the crowd outside the hospital, thanking them and acknowledging one woman in the crowd who was holding flowers. He also gave a blessing, though he appeared to have some difficulty raising his arms.
The Pope meets with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Vatican in April 2025.
Pope Francis attends Easter Sunday Mass and delivers the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from Saint Peter’s Square in April 2025.
Pope Francis (L) waves at the end of his weekly general audience at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on October 26, 2022. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP) (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis, seen at left with his brother Oscar, was born on December 17, 1936. He was the eldest child of Mario and Regina Bergoglio, Italian immigrants in Argentina.
Pope Francis’ life in pictures
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Condolences and tributes started to pour in shortly after the announcement was made.

The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the pope “a great man and a great pastor,” and said she “had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering.”

Meloni said the pope “asked the world, once again, for the courage to change direction, to follow a path that ‘does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, protects,’” adding that she will “walk in this direction.”

Javier Milei, the President of Francis’s home country Argentina, said that “having been able to know him in his kindness and wisdom was a true honor for me.”

Milei has clashed with the pope in the past over his country’s economic policies. On Monday, he said their differences “seem minor today.”

Britain’s King Charles said the pope will 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.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X the pope “inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply pained” by the news.

Death comes after long hospital stay
The death of Francis, who became the first Latin American pontiff in 2013 and was one of the oldest popes in the church’s history, came weeks after he was discharged from a Rome hospital having battled a life-threatening case of pneumonia in both lungs.

His medical team said his condition had stabilized, allowing for him to continue his convalescence at his Casa Santa Marta residence back at the Vatican.

Two weeks after leaving hospital, he delighted the faithful by making a surprise appearance at St. Peter’s Square.

He has made a number of appearances since then, including spending 30 minutes at a prison in Rome on Thursday and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening.

His death will open a debate about the future direction of the Catholic Church, with cardinals from across the globe expected to gather in Rome in the coming days to mourn the pontiff and then elect his successor.

An outsider figure and the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years, Francis championed the poor, migrants and the environment, but divisions over same-sex relationships and how to tackle abuse scandals within the church persisted throughout his pontificate.

Members of the faithful begin to gather at St Peter’s Square, following the death of Pope Francis.
Members of the faithful begin to gather at St Peter’s Square, following the death of Pope Francis. Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images
First Latin American and Jesuit to be elected
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Italian migrants in Buenos Aires in 1936, was the first Latin American and member of the Jesuit order to be elected pope in the church’s 2,000-year history. He was also the first pope to call himself Francis.

The Argentinian pontiff quickly gained a reputation as a modernizer, with an outward-facing approach which saw him speak out boldly on humanitarian crises, such as migration, war and climate change.

He sought to reform the church by tackling elitist mentalities among the clergy, demanding a compassionate approach to divorced and gay Catholics and insisting that the church welcome everyone.

He took a series of measures to clean up financial corruption in the Vatican, and to tackle the scourge of clerical sexual abuse, including laws to hold bishops accountable for coverups. Francis also sought an enlarged role for women working in the Vatican and authorized priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples.

He built bridges with the Muslim world, while seeking to play the role of peacemaker in the face of global conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East.

His reforms saw him face unprecedented resistance from ultra-conservatives inside the church, although progressive Catholics felt he should have gone further in allowing the ordination of married men as priests, shifting official teaching on homosexuality and giving a greater space for women in ministry.

Despite taking a series of tough measures, Francis also failed to quell the scandal of child sexual abuse and other forms of abuse that have plagued the Catholic Church – a disgrace that he made his personal responsibility to end, but which continued to damage the institutional church in multiple countries throughout his papacy.