Caption: A woman walks by a portrait of Pope Francis in the Church of the Blessed Eucharist in the city of Lviv, on April 21, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025 aged 88, a day after making a much hoped-for appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, the Vatican said in a statement. AFP/Yuriy Dyachyshyn
POPE Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church and spiritual leader to more than 1.4 billion Catholics, has died at the age of 88.
The Vatican confirmed his death on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in Casa Santa Marta. A post on the official Vatican News X account stated: “Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.”
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His death came one day after a private meeting with US Vice President JD Vance.
The pontiff had been discharged from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital last month after a 38 days stay. He was initially admitted on February 14 for bronchitis, but later developed double pneumonia.
Though Vatican officials reported minor improvements in his condition during his stay, his health ultimately declined. On March 6, an audio message from the pope thanking followers for their prayers was released, reportedly recorded from his hospital room.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had faced several health challenges during his papacy, including a colon surgery in 2021 and recurring respiratory issues in recent years.
