Vatican City: Pope Francis died Monday morning, Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Farrell said in the announcement.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised. 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 God, One and Tribune,” the Vatican added in its statement.
The Pope was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on Friday, February 14, 2025, after suffering from a bout of bronchitis for several days.
Pope Francis’ clinical situation gradually worsened, and his doctors diagnosed bilateral pneumonia on Tuesday, February 18.
After 38 days in hospital, the late Pope returned to his Vatican residence at the Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery.
World leaders mourn Pope
Heads of state from France, Italy, Pakistan and other parts of the world mourned the death of the pope. President Emmanuel Macron of France, a country that is largely Roman Catholic, focused on the pope’s impact on the church, writing on X that “From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. For it to unite humans among themselves, and with nature. May this hope forever outlast him.”
US Vice President JD Vance, who on Easter Sunday met with the pope before travelling on to India, wrote on X on Monday that his “heart goes out” to the millions of Christians who loved him, and said: “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.”
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was one of the few official visitors to see Francis during his recent hospitalization, alluded to the pope’s personal comfort and advice for her, saying “I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his counsel and his teachings, which never failed me, not even in times of trial and suffering.”
Francis’ death, she said, “deeply saddens us, as we are saying goodbye to a great man and a great shepherd.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recalled the pontiff as an inspiration for the entire world, not just Christians.
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