Pope Francis dies aged 88, Vatican announces

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88.

His death was pronounced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released by Vatican, He said “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.”

The statement said that, “At 7.35am 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 His Church.

“He taught us to live the values ​​of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.

“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 procedure for selecting a new pope conclave, usually takes place 15 and 20 days after the death of a pontiff.

Born in 1936, Francis was the first pope from South America. His papacy was marked by his defending those escaping war and hunger, as well as those in poverty, earning him the moniker the “People’s Pope”.

In 2016, he washed and cleaned the feet of refugees from different religions at an asylum centre outside Rome in a “gesture of humility and service”.

He made his views known on a broad scope of matter, from climate change to wealth inequality and the role of women in the Catholic Church.

He made his views known on a broad scope of matter, from climate change to wealth inequality and the role of women in the Catholic Church.

His acceptance of the LGBTQ society was unprecedented, commencement with an unexpected comment to reporters on a flight back from Brazil about gay clergy.

He said, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge them?”

However, in April 2024 he came out to restate the Vatican‘s steadfast resistance to gender reassignment, surrogacy, abortion and euthanasia, by signing the text “Dignitas Infinita” (Infinite Dignity).

In the same year, his own tolerant credentials were interrogated after reports he used a homophobic slur behind closed doors.

As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had part of one lung removed.

In the last few years of his life, Francis needed a wheelchair or a cane to get around and limited his public speaking while struggling with bronchitis and flu.

Francis first spent time in hospital as pope in 2021 for a surgery to remove part of his colon.

In June 2023 he was admitted to hospital for an operation on his intestine. At the time, the Vatican said he had been suffering “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms caused by an abdominal hernia.

His recent health issues meant he was forced to miss significant events in the Roman Catholic calendar, including the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum last year.

In 2022, he hinted he might step down if his health deteriorated after he was pictured using a wheelchair due to mobility issues caused by a flare-up of sciatica – a nerve condition that causes leg pain.

His predecessor, the late Benedict XVI, became the first pope to resign in more than 600 years in 2013 instead of serving for life, and died in 2022.

The Pope’s original name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio and he previously served as a bishop in Buenos Aires.

An estimated 1.4 billion Catholics across the world will mourn Francis’ passing.

We join the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis. His legacy of compassion, humility, and unwavering commitment to peace and justice will forever echo in the hearts of the faithful. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his memory continue to inspire kindness and unity across all nations.