Pope Francis passed away this morning due to a cerebral stroke, which is said to be unrelated to the respiratory issues he suffered in February.
Doctors who treated him said that he "passed away peacefully," as reported by Italian outlets.
The Vatican released a report sharing that the pontiff had suffered a stroke, followed by a coma and “irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.”
Highlights
- Pope Francis passed away due to a stroke, unrelated to his earlier respiratory problems.
- The Pope passed away at home in Vatican's Saint Martha residence at age 88.
- The dean of the College of Cardinals will summon the cardinals to Rome for a conclave within 15 to 20 days.
The Pope reportedly woke up at 6am, fell ill at 7am, and passed away around half-an-hour later.
Pope Francis passed away due to a stroke, the Vatican said
Image credits: Presidenza della Repubblica
The leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013 passed away aged 88 at home in the Saint Martha residence in the Vatican after dedicating his “entire life” to serving God and the Church.
His body will lie in state in St. Peter's Basilica for three days, and then he will be buried in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
In his last public appearance before his passing, the Pope greeted thousands of worshippers in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday.
Image credits: Ashwin Vaswani / Unsplash
He appeared on the Vatican balcony and told crowds, “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” before an aide read the rest of his annual Urbi et Orbi blessing and speech.
He also met US Vice President JD Vance, marking his highest-profile appearance since being discharged from the hospital.
Pope Francis had a prolonged respiratory crisis that required the administration of high-flow oxygen and transfusions. He remained hospitalized at Gemelli for 38 days, until March 23, when he was discharged.
The Vatican first announced that Pope Francis had bronchitis on February 6 after he canceled several events and had reportedly been struggling to breathe and speak. He was admitted to the hospital on February 14, where he was diagnosed with bilateral (double) pneumonia.
Doctors told Italian media that he passed away "peacefully" at around 7:30 a.m. on Monday
Image credits: Mikdev / Pixabay
Image credits: Cancillería del Ecuador
At the hospital, he suffered multiple attacks of "acute respiratory insufficiency," according to the Vatican. He was also diagnosed with a polymicrobial infection and mild renal insufficiency.
February 28 was the "worst night," Sergio Alfieri, a physician at Rome's Gemelli hospital told local media Corriere della Sera. On that night, the Pope's condition suddenly worsened and physicians considered halting treatment to allow him to pass naturally.
Image credits: Dirk Pothen / Pexels
Before leaving the hospital, he appeared on a balcony in a wheelchair, where he offered a brief blessing to a crowd of about 3,000 people who had gathered below.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the first Latin-American pontiff in 2013 and was one of the oldest popes in the church’s history.
His passing brings an end to what is considered one of the most consequential papacies of modern times, in which the Pope spoke out about environmentalism and care for the poor and marginalized.
The Pope had been discharged from the hospital after a pneumonia diagnosis on March 23
Image credits: Annett_Klingner / Pixabay
Among those to pay tribute to the Pope was French President Emmanuel Macron, who sent his thoughts “to all Catholics and to the grieving world.
“From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest,” he wrote on social media. “May it unite people with each other and with nature. May this hope continually revive beyond him.”
"Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another.
"Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example. May we continue to heed his call to 'never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope.'"
Image credits: Annett_Klingner / Pixabay
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, wrote: "Pope Francis has returned to the house of the Father. This news saddens us deeply, because a great man and a great pastor have left us.
"I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering. In the meditations of the Via Crucis, he reminded us of the power of the gift, which makes everything flourish again and is capable of reconciling what in the eyes of man is irreconcilable.”
The first Latin American pontiff was known for his commitment to social justice and doctrinal conservatism
Image credits: Coronel Gonorrea / Unsplash
"His teaching and his legacy will not be lost. We greet the Holy Father with hearts full of sadness, but we know that he is now in the peace of the Lord."
Argentina has declared a week-long mourning period and held a special mass in Buenos Aires' Metropolitan Cathedral, where he was once archbishop.
Cardinal Farrell, an American of Irish origin, will serve as the Vatican’s de facto administrator until a new pope is chosen. Within 15 to 20 days, the dean of the College of Cardinals will summon the cardinals to Rome to elect Pope Francis’ successor.
The late pontiff asked in his will that his tomb be “simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus.”
"He was a wonderful Pope. May he rest in peace," one reader wrote
