The leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, passed away on Easter Monday on April 21, following a bout with pneumonia for more than a month.
“Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta,” Vatican News stated via an update on Twitter.
As per the Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber The Pope died at 7:35 am on the 21st of April, Monday.
The Camerlengo responsible for announcing the passing of the Pope has said, “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
Then, “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.”
The patient, aged 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on the 14th of February and was unable to move for more than one month. The patient was initially admitted due to bronchitis. This later turned into bilateral pneumonia.
His health became critically ill as he suffered instances of acute respiratory failure that was acute which required intervention such as the bronchoscopy procedure to eliminate mucus, as well as the use of non-invasive mechanical ventilators.
He was discharged from the hospital on the 23rd of March 2025 following a stay of five weeks. His first public appearance was at the hospital’s windows to offer a prayer before being released from the hospital.
He was in the United States on Sunday and sat on Sunday with US Vice-President JD Vance, in his first meeting with a high-profile person following the hospitalization.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, has been head of the Catholic Church since 2013.
The Pope is a man who has struggled for years with respiratory problems due to an illness in the lungs he experienced in his teens, which resulted in a part of a lung being taken out. In recent times there have been repeated respiratory ailments, like the bronchitis that required hospitalization by 2023.
The Pope is also plagued by knee issues, specifically in his right knee, which have impacted his mobility.
He frequently uses a cane or a wheelchair due to knee pain that is thought to be due to osteoarthritis. He decided against surgery, opting instead for physiotherapy or the management of pain.
In 2021, the patient underwent the procedure to eliminate a part of his colon because of diverticulitis. This condition can cause inflammation in the colon. In 2023 to undergo abdominal surgery to repair a hernia.
The first pope of the Americas and also the first Jesuit pope who has focused his attention on environmental, social justice questions, and reforming the church.
Affectionately known for his humble and his progressive views, he has been a champion for immigrants, criticized the economic disparity, and advocated for more inclusion within the church.
The papacy also has faced issues, like internal resistance against reforms as well as ongoing discussions regarding Church doctrines in regards to issues such as LGBTQ+ rights and celibacy.
