Vatican City, Holy See — Pope Francis, an energetic reformer who inspired widespread devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists, died on Monday aged 88, just a day after greeting delighted worshippers after Easter Mass.
The death of the Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, came less than a month after having been released from hospital following a 38-day battle with double pneumonia.
Some visitors to St Peters Square — where a frail-looking Francis was cheered by Easter Sunday worshippers during an unscheduled appearance just a day earlier — were left in tears at the news.
World leaders paid tribute to his moral and spiritual leadership and countries began preparations to mark his death.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.
“This morning at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church,” said the statement, released shortly before 10:00 am.
His death sets in motion centuries-old traditions that will culminate in the gathering of a conclave of cardinals to choose a successor.
In the next four to six days the Vatican’s cardinals will decide on the pope’s funeral date, at which point his coffin will be transferred to St Peter’s Basilica.
In the meantime, the day-to-day running of the tiny Vatican City state will be handled by the Camerlengo, a senior cardinal, currently Dublin-born Cardinal Farrell.
Francis’s body will be laid in its coffin in the chapel at the Saint Martha residence where he lived at 8:00 pm, the Vatican said, while the Rosary prayer will be held “in the middle of the day”.
‘Spiritual father’ –
At the Vatican on Monday, a hush seemed to descend on the normally boisterous Saint Peter’s Square as the death knell rang out.
“He lived this Easter and then he went,” Cesarina Cireddu from Sardinia said with tears in her eyes. “He’s actually returned to the Lord — and godspeed.”
Tour groups continued to walk through the sprawling plaza as quiet groups of people leaned against a barricade to pray.
Venezuelan Riccardo Vielma, 31, who is studying to be a priest, said “we have lost our spiritual father”.
Francis, whose real name was Jorge Bergoglio, was the first Jesuit to lead the world’s almost 1.4 billion Catholics and the first from the Americas.
He took over after Benedict XVI became the first pontiff since the Middle Ages to step down — and cut a sharply different figure from the German theologian.
A football-loving former archbishop of Buenos Aires who was often happiest among his flock, Francis sought to forge a more open and compassionate Church.
Served ‘with devotion’ –
World leaders praised him for having strongly defended social justice and the rights of migrants.
Britain’s King Charles, who met Francis during a state visit earlier this month, said the pope had “served with such devotion”.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said “a great man has left us” in a statement, while Argentina’s President Javier Milei pointed to his compatriot’s “goodness and wisdom” despite their “differences”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Francis had “inspired millions… with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate”.
US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert who briefly met Francis on Sunday while on a trip to Rome with his family, said his “heart goes out” to Christians. The White House wrote “Rest in Peace” on X.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was grieving and Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the pope’s promotion of dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
Italy’s Serie A football league called off all the day’s matches and the country’s Olympic committee called for all sporting events due to take place there on Monday to be postponed.
Spain announced three days of mourning while the bells at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris rang out 88 times and the city said the lights would be turned off at the Eiffel Tower on Monday evening.
Reforming pope
Francis’s pontificate was also marked by pushing through governance reforms and tackling the scourge of clerical sex abuse of children.
But critics accused him of creating doctrinal confusion and failing to defend traditional Catholic beliefs on key issues such as abortion and divorce.
Francis’s desire to chart a different path was evident right to the end, with his decision to be buried not in St Peter’s Basilica but in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore basilica.
He will become the first pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.
Francis also rejected the tradition of popes having three coffins, instead choosing to be buried in just one.
Health issues –
Francis, who had part of his lung removed as a young man, had maintained a busy schedule before his latest hospital admission, even hosting the prime minister of Slovakia shortly beforehand.
Even after he was released from hospital and ordered to rest for two months, Francis, known for being stubborn, did not wait long before making public appearances, meeting Britain’s King Charles and visiting a prison.
But he was barely able to speak and delegated the traditional Easter Sunday “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) benediction to an associate, although he later toured Saint Peter’s Square in his popemobile, greeting worshippers.
Despite a growing number of health problems, he never took a day off and made frequent trips abroad, including a four-nation Asia-Pacific tour only last September.
Huge crowds gathered wherever he went, a testament to his popularity and human touch.
‘Who am I to judge?’ –
When Francis took over, the Catholic Church was mired in infighting and beset by a global scandal over clerical sex abuse of children and decades of cover-ups.
He promised an end to impunity and changed Vatican law to help tackle abuse, though victims said he could have gone further.
More widely, he initiated a major shake-up of the Vatican’s powerful governing body, including improving financial responsibility and allowing lay Catholics to lead Vatican offices.
Throughout his papacy, Francis championed the poor and vulnerable and emphasized love over doctrine.
“If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?” he said at the start of his papacy.
However, his detractors accused him of failing to uphold established Church doctrine.
World leaders pay tribute
World leaders remembered Pope Francis as “a beacon of compassion”, as the death on Monday of the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics prompted a global outpouring of grief.
Here are some of the first reactions to the death of the 88-year-old pontiff:
‘Rest in Peace’: Trump –
“Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!,” US President Donald Trump, who clashed with the Argentine pontiff on a number of issues, wrote on his Truth Social platform.
‘Prayed for peace in Ukraine’: Zelensky –
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Francis “prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians”.
“We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians,” Zelensky wrote on social media.
‘Defender of justice’: Putin –
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Francis was a “wise” religious leader, a “statesman” and a “consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice,” who “actively promoted dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches”.
Egypt’s Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb
Pope Francis will be remembered for his championing of interfaith dialogue. Calling Francis “his brother,” said he had “strengthened relations with Al-Azhar and the Islamic world, through his visits to numerous Islamic and Arab countries, and through his views demonstrating fairness and humanity, particularly regarding the aggression on Gaza and combating abhorrent Islamophobia”.
‘Consequential leader’: Biden –
Former US president Joe Biden said Francis was “unlike any who came before him”, hailing his record of fighting for peace and equity.
“Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him,” Biden, a staunch Catholic, wrote on X alongside a picture of him and the Pope.
‘Courageous’: Britain –
“His leadership in a complex and challenging time for the world and the church was courageous, yet always came from a place of deep humility,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
King Charles, who is also the head of the Church of England, said he was “deeply saddened” by Francis’s death, adding: “Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many”.
Wise despite ‘differences’: Argentina’s leader –
“In spite of differences that today seem minor, to have known him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me,” Argentine President Javier Milei posted on X of his countryman Francis.
‘Dialogue between faiths’: Turkey –
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Francis as a “respected statesman”.
The leader of the Muslim-majority nation also called Francis “a spiritual leader who placed great importance on dialogue between different faith groups”, who took “initiative in the face of humanitarian tragedies, especially the Palestinian issue”.
‘Stood for brotherly mankind’: France
French President Emmanuel Macron said the pope had always been “on the side of the most vulnerable and the most fragile” and that he had stood for “brotherly humankind”.
‘A great man has left us’: Italy –
“Pope Francis has returned to the Father’s home. It is deeply sad news, because a great man has left us,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.’A beacon of compassion’: India –
“Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
“I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development.”
‘A faithful friend’: Palestinian president –
“Today, we lost a faithful friend of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights,” Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said, noting that the pope “recognized the Palestinian state and authorized the Palestinian flag to be raised in the Vatican”.
‘Profound legacy’: Spain –
“I am sorry to hear of the death of Pope Francis. His commitment to peace, social justice and the most vulnerable leaves a profound legacy. Rest in peace,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said
‘Indefatigable commitment’: Germany
Incoming German chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed “great sorrow” and described Pope Francis as a man “guided by humility and faith”.
He said the pontiff “will remain in our memories for his indefatigable commitment” to “the most vulnerable, for justice and for reconciliation”.
‘Servant leadership’: Kenya –
“He exemplified servant leadership through his humility, his unwavering commitment to inclusivity and justice, and his deep compassion for the poor and the vulnerable,” Kenyan President William Ruto said.
“His strong ethical and moral convictions inspired millions across the world, regardless of faith or background.”
‘Heart open to all’: Philippines –
“Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and forgotten,” said Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, calling him a man of “profound faith and humility”.
