Pope Francis has died

April 21, 2025 – VATICAN CITY - The Vatican announced that Pope Francis passed away in the night at the age of 88 in his Vatican residence.

Cardinal Kevin Joseph is the Vatican Chamberlain.

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," said Cardinal Farrell. "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

Vice President J.D. Vance – a convert to Catholicism - met with Francis briefly on Easter Sunday – the last world leader to meet with Francis in this life. Vance also met with the Vatican Secretary of State and other officials.

"Today I met with the Holy Father Pope Francis. I am grateful for his invitation to meet, and I pray for his good health." VP Vance said on social media.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Argentina in 1936. He became the Bishop of Buenos Arie in 1998. Francis was both the first Latin American Pope and the first Jesuit when he was elected pontiff in 2013 by the College of Cardinals.

Francis followed Pope Benedict XVI, who retired when his health began to fail, and John Paul II – both much more conservative pontiffs. Francis's pontificate was in many ways a liberal push back against the more conservative policies of his two immediate predecessors.

Pope Benedict, in 2007's Summorum Pontificum, granted priests the right to use the 1962 Latin Mass. Francis suppressed the Latin Mass to the dismay of millions of conservative Catholics in 2021 with his controversial Traditionis Custodes. He also defended the rights of migrants to cross international borders angering nationalists on both side of the Atlantic. He also removed conservative Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland and excommunicated Italian bishop and former Ambassador to the United States Carlo Maria Vigano, who had criticized Francis. He also appeared to soften the Church's position on LGBTQ+ people.

On the other hand, Francis angered many on the Catholic left by affirming that abortion and gender transition surgeries are still sins. He also upheld the historical Catholic teaching that just as Jesus's 12 apostles were all male, that the priesthood should not be opened to women.

Francis, in 2015, became the first Pope to address a joint session of Congress. President Joseph R. Biden (D) – the second Catholic President - awarded Pope Franics a Presidential Medal of Honor before he left office.

Francis, who had part of his lung removed in his youth, was hospitalized on Feb. 14 with bronchitis. That turned into pneumonia within four days and set in in both lungs. The Vatican said that he was in critical condition by February 22. He was able to leave the hospital but he never fully recovered.

Pope emeritus Benedict died in 2022. Pope John Paul II died in 2005.

In 2024 Francis rewrote the rules for a Papal funeral. There will be a public viewing in St. Peter's Basilica. His coffin will be made of wood and he will be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome rather than in St. Peter's with the other popes.

Within two to three weeks the cardinals will meet to select the next pope. There are 136 voting age cardinals. Only cardinals under 80 years old can vote in a secret ballot. The youngest cardinal is 50. Once a pope is elected by a majority count, white smoke is released through a chimney to announce that the voters have reached a decision.