The Vatican is shocked by tragic news: on April 21, 2025, at 07:35 CET, Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff and leader of 1,4 billion Catholics, passed away in his residence in Santa Marta. He was 88 years old. His death came the day after Francis, despite his grave health, appeared in St. Peter's Square to bless the faithful on Easter Sunday. The news of the pontiff's death, announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, sent a wave of grief around the world and opened a new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church.

Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 in Buenos Aires, is the first pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit to hold the papacy. His election in 2013 following the abdication of Benedict XVI marked the beginning of an era of reform. Francis has sought to make the church more open and compassionate, with a particular focus on the poor, migrants and marginalized groups. His pontificate has been marked by bold moves, such as calls to combat climate change and criticism of unfettered capitalism, which have drawn both admiration and criticism from conservative circles.

Francis’s final years were marred by health problems. Chronic lung problems caused by a surgery in his youth and a recent case of double pneumonia that required 38 days of hospitalization seriously sapped his strength. Despite this, the pontiff continued to carry out his duties with fortitude. His final public speech, read by an aide during Easter Mass, called for peace in Ukraine and Gaza, emphasizing his continued commitment to humanitarianism.

Francis’s death set in motion centuries-old Vatican rituals. Cardinal Farrell, acting camerlengo, confirmed the pontiff’s death, which began a nine-day period of mourning known as the Novendiale. The funeral, in keeping with Francis’s wishes, will be modest: the pontiff’s body will be placed in a simple wooden coffin and interred in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore rather than the Vatican, another break with tradition. Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel in 15 to 20 days for a conclave to choose a new pope.

World leaders offered condolences. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Francis a “great shepherd,” while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised his prayers for peace in the country. Britain’s King Charles III stressed Francis’s “tireless commitment to the unity of the church.” Thousands gathered in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square to honor the pontiff, Reuters reported.