The Vatican has confirmed the death of Pope Francis, who passed away peacefully on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. He died in the early hours of the morning at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Vatican City.
The Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, made the official announcement from the chapel inside the papal residence. The Pope had been battling deteriorating health for several months and was hospitalized for 38 days earlier this year due to double pneumonia and other complications. Despite his condition, he made a surprise appearance on Easter Sunday to deliver his final “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Vatican has announced that the funeral Mass will be held in St. Peter’s Square in the coming days. In line with his wishes, the ceremony will follow simplified rites, and he will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore a place he held dear throughout his papacy.
Global tributes have begun pouring in, with world leaders and religious figures offering their condolences. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Pope Francis as a “humble shepherd who never stopped fighting for the dignity of the poor.” French President Emmanuel Macron praised his “courage and compassion,” while UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the world had “lost a voice of conscience and moral clarity.”
Security has been tightened around the Vatican as mourners gather in St. Peter’s Square, lighting candles and offering prayers in memory of the late pontiff.
The Catholic Church now enters a solemn period of mourning as preparations begin for the conclave that will elect the next pope.