Pope Francis Passes Away at 88 in Vatican Residence on Easter Monday
Vatican City, The Gulf Observer: Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away peacefully on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His death occurred at 7:35 AM at the Casa Santa Marta, his residence within Vatican City. The announcement was made at 9:45 AM by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, in a solemn statement from the Vatican.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Farrell declared. “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.”
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas. He served as the successor to Pope Benedict XVI since March 13, 2013, and was widely recognized for his deep compassion, humility, and commitment to social justice.
The Holy Father had been in declining health in recent months. He was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on February 14, 2025, after several days of battling bronchitis. His condition deteriorated following a diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia on February 18. After 38 days of hospitalization, Pope Francis returned to the Vatican to continue his recovery at Casa Santa Marta.
Pope Francis had a long history of respiratory illness. At the age of 21, he underwent surgery in Argentina to remove part of a lung affected by a severe infection. His health remained a concern in later years, with recurring respiratory issues. Notably, he cancelled a planned apostolic visit to the United Arab Emirates in November 2023 due to influenza and lung inflammation.
In April 2024, Pope Francis approved an updated edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the liturgical book guiding papal funeral rites. This second edition, introduced under his direction, includes significant changes emphasizing pastoral simplicity and faith in the Resurrection. According to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, the late pontiff personally requested that his funeral be “simplified” to reflect his life as “a pastor and disciple of Christ and not a powerful person of this world.”
Per the updated rite, the Pope’s death was officially confirmed in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, and his body was promptly placed in the coffin as part of the new protocol. Details of the funeral Mass are expected to be announced soon.
Pope Francis will be remembered for reshaping the global Catholic Church’s approach to issues of poverty, climate change, and dialogue among faiths, and for steering the Church with humility and vision through a rapidly changing world.
