Pope Francis, the first pontiff from the Global South and a transformative figure in the modern Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88. The Vatican confirmed that the Bishop of Rome passed away peacefully at 7:35am on Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta.
The news was delivered with solemn reverence by His Eminence, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who addressed the world with these words: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning (local time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”
A man of extraordinary humility and conviction, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Pope in March 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. His papacy was defined by a deep commitment to the poor, bold efforts to reform the Vatican, and an unwavering call for compassion in a world fractured by inequality and indifference.
Farrell added: “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.”
Pope Francis’ final wishes, reflecting the simplicity and humility that marked his tenure, will reshape traditional rites. He will be buried in a plain wooden coffin lined with zinc, eschewing the customary triple caskets used for his predecessors. There will be no catafalque; instead, mourners will view his body with the lid removed, a gesture in keeping with his desire for proximity and humanity.
In a departure from centuries of precedent, Pope Francis will not be buried within the Vatican. He will be laid to rest at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome—where he often prayed before and after his apostolic journeys—making him the first Pope in over a hundred years to be buried outside the Vatican walls.
As the world reflects on his life and legacy, tributes are pouring in for a pontiff who embraced simplicity, challenged convention, and called on the Church to be a field hospital in the heart of the world’s suffering. Pope Francis leaves behind not only a Church profoundly changed, but a world stirred by his vision of faith as action, mercy, and justice.
