Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio and the first Latin American to be pope, died on April 21, 2025, at Casa Santa Marta. He was 88.
Pope Francis’s death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell at the Pope’s death place early on Monday morning, according to Vatican News.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell. “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.”
The pope spent 38 days in the Rome Gemelli Hospital and returned to his home on March 23, allowing him to recover at home for about a month before his death, according to Al Jazeera.
The pope had suffered numerous health issues before his death. At 21, he had part of one of his lungs removed, leaving him susceptible to illness. He also had Type II diabetes and high blood pressure. This year, he suffered bronchitis, which then developed into serious pneumonia in both lungs. While the illnesses he suffered earlier this year contributed to his death, the cause of the pope’s death was ruled as a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse, according to Vatican News.
Pope Francis was a determined man who yearned for change. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and studied chemistry in college. He then became a Jesuit and worked his way up through various positions before being elected Pope in 2013, according to the BBC.
As pope, he made history, becoming the first Jesuit to be elected to St Peter’s throne. This change was drastic, as Jesuits were initially looked down upon with suspicion by Rome. He was a very humble man who did not live up to the grand standards of the papal position. Instead of living in the Papal Palace, where popes had traditionally lived, Pope Francis decided to live in Casa Santa Marta, a guesthouse within Vatican City, according to the BBC.
The funeral for Pope Francis will be held on Saturday, April 26, outside in St. Peter’s Square. Most popes are buried inside Vatican City, but in his will, Pope Francis requested to be buried “in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus,” According to CNN. Therefore, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, making him the first pope in over a century to be buried outside of Vatican City.
The process of choosing a new pope, known as the conclave, is likely to start in about two weeks, when the cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Until then, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who was elected by Pope Francis in 2019, will act as the interim head of the Vatican, also known as the Camerlengo, overseeing daily affairs, according to ABC News.
