VATICAN CITY (LOOTPRESS) – Pope Francis, the first pontiff from the Americas and a reformer who reshaped the modern Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88. The Vatican confirmed that Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Monday, just one day after making a surprise public appearance outside the Vatican on Easter Sunday.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, officially announced the pope’s death, praising Francis for a lifetime of service, humility, and dedication to the most vulnerable. “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love,” Farrell said.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, had battled numerous health challenges in recent years, including two abdominal surgeries and serious respiratory infections. Most recently, he was hospitalized for five weeks with bronchitis that developed into pneumonia. Despite his deteriorating health, he marked the 12th anniversary of his papacy from his hospital bed.
Elected in 2013, Francis broke tradition from the outset. Rather than immediately blessing the crowd at St. Peter’s Square, he asked the faithful to pray for him. He chose the name “Francis” after Saint Francis of Assisi, signaling a papacy focused on humility, compassion, and care for the poor.
As pope, he made a point of living simply — choosing a modest room in a Vatican guesthouse over the lavish papal apartments, carrying his own bag, and even walking through Rome to buy his own glasses. His papacy was defined by personal outreach, social justice, and a push for inclusion. He frequently spoke out against consumerism and inequality and regularly embraced society’s most marginalized — dining with the homeless, visiting prisons, and welcoming refugees.
“I cannot greet people from inside a sardine can,” Francis once said, explaining why he replaced the bulletproof popemobile with more open transportation.
He also became one of the world’s most influential voices on climate change, issuing a groundbreaking encyclical on the environment. He reformed the Vatican’s internal administration, promoted greater roles for laypeople, and helped re-establish diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Cuba.
However, Francis’ legacy also includes his handling of the Catholic Church’s long-standing sexual abuse crisis. Initially criticized for being slow to act, he later implemented reforms requiring dioceses to establish reporting systems and removed secrecy rules that had long shielded abuse cases from scrutiny.
His health issues gradually limited his mobility, leading to speculation about a potential resignation — a step taken by his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. But Francis remained in office, presiding over Benedict’s funeral and continuing his public work, including a historic visit to Iraq amid security concerns.
Born in 1936 to working-class Italian immigrants in Argentina, Francis held various jobs and studied chemistry before entering the priesthood at 32. He ministered to the poor in Buenos Aires’ slums and carried that mission-driven mindset into his role as pope.
He stirred headlines with his openness, once responding to a question about LGBTQ individuals with the now-famous phrase, “Who am I to judge?” Though his tone shifted Church dialogue toward compassion, he upheld traditional teachings on same-sex marriage, birth control, and women’s ordination — drawing criticism from conservatives and progressives alike.
Francis once said he brought only a small bag to the 2013 conclave that elected him pope — expecting to return to Argentina. Instead, he changed the face of the Catholic Church forever.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the Vatican in the coming days.
