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Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic church and loved by millions of Catholics and admired worldwide, has died at the age of 88.
Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, a senior Vatican official, announced: “At 7:35 this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His life was all about serving God and the Church.”
Francis had lung disease and lost part of one lung through surgery when he was young. On 14 February, he was taken to a hospital in Rome with a serious breathing problem that became pneumonia. He stayed there for 38 days, his longest hospital stay as pope.
He left the hospital on 23 March and made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, speaking briefly in St Peter’s Square. In the days before his death, he visited prisoners and made an unannounced visit to St Peter’s Basilica dressed in simple clothes.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised him for his friendship and wise advice. Rome’s mayor called him a humble and brave leader who touched many hearts.
Francis had already made plans for a simpler funeral and to be buried at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, rather than in the usual grand tombs under St Peter’s.
As people mourn, the process to choose a new pope will begin. About 138 cardinals will gather in Rome for the secret vote in the Sistine Chapel. Possible successors include Matteo Zuppi, Pietro Parolin, and Luis Antonio Tagle.
Francis was the first Jesuit pope and known for standing up for the poor and speaking out against greed and inequality. He often asked church leaders to live simply.
Many in the Vatican didn’t like his efforts to reform the Church. But his kind and down-to-earth style won him admiration around the globe.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, he became pope in 2013. On his first day, he took the bus instead of the papal car and paid his own hotel bill. He said he wanted “a poor church and a church for the poor.”
He strongly criticized capitalism, calling it the “dung of the devil.” He urged rich countries to pay their “social debt” to the poor and warned that climate change was one of the world’s biggest problems.
He welcomed refugees, took some Syrians into the Vatican, and kept in touch with a church in Gaza during his final illness. He also stood up for victims of human trafficking and prisoners.
One of his biggest challenges was dealing with the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. At first, critics said he didn’t act fast enough. But in 2019, he ordered all abuse to be reported and protected whistleblowers — a big step forward.
Francis also spoke out after terror attacks, saying violence had no place in real religion. He refused to link all of Islam with violence and said every religion, including the Catholic church has small extremist groups.
He was open-hearted about sexuality, saying, “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests. Still, he stayed with Church teachings on marriage and abortion. People on both political sides tried to claim him, but he didn’t fit easily into either camp.
He was hugely popular on his international visits, especially among young people. He told them not to rely on technology for happiness, saying, “Happiness is not an app.”
Now, the cardinals will have to meet to choose a new pope. Their decision will show whether Francis’s focus on reform and helping the poor will continue.
Sources: Vatican, Guardian, CNN.
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