Pope Francis dies at 88, vatican confirms

The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis early Monday morning through Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo.

“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” he said.

According to Cardinal Farrell, Pope Francis died peacefully at 7:35am at the Vatican.

The statement read, “The Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father this morning.”

Farrell described Francis as a man devoted to serving the Lord and His Church throughout his life.

He praised the Pope for living out Gospel values with courage, love, and faithfulness.

Cardinal Farrell said Francis prioritised the poor and marginalised, showing them compassion and solidarity.

“With deep gratitude, we commend Pope Francis to the merciful love of the Triune God,” he concluded.

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936.

He was the first of five children born to parents of Italian descent.

Francis often shared stories about his close-knit family and faith-filled grandmother.

His grandparents survived a deadly shipwreck while migrating from Italy to Argentina.

This event inspired his deep compassion for migrants crossing dangerous paths for survival.

At 16, he had a life-changing moment during confession, leading him to the priesthood.

He entered seminary, but later chose the Jesuit order, known for missionary work and discipline.

His leadership qualities quickly stood out among his peers in the Jesuit community.

In 1973, at age 36, he became head of the Jesuits in Argentina.

He served in that role until 1979, guiding the order through difficult times.

He was elected Pope in 2013, becoming the first Jesuit and Latin American pope.

From the night of his election, he called for global peace and fraternity.

“Let us pray for the world to embrace fraternity,” he declared from St. Peter’s Basilica.

He spent his pontificate promoting unity across religions, races, and social divides.

Francis championed causes for migrants, the poor, and victims of global injustice.

He was widely respected for building bridges between faiths and world communities.

Pope Francis leaves a legacy of humility, compassion, and social justice for generations.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the Vatican in coming days.

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