In a deeply moving announcement, the Vatican has confirmed the death of Pope Francis, the beloved leader of the Catholic Church, following a prolonged illness.
He passed away peacefully on Easter Monday at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Vatican City.
He was 88 years old.
Just one day earlier, on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis made a final public appearance, offering a warm blessing to the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The moment, now etched in the memories of millions, served as a final gesture of his enduring spiritual presence.
Pope Francis had been contending with bilateral pneumonia and was discharged from the hospital on March 23, prompting renewed concern about his health.
Despite his frailty, he continued to embody the compassion and humility that defined his papacy.
His death marks the close of a remarkable chapter in the Church’s history.
As tributes pour in from global leaders, clergy, and the faithful around the world, many remember him as a pope of the people, championing the marginalized, promoting interfaith dialogue, and calling for mercy in a divided world.
The Church now enters a period of mourning and reflection, awaiting the process that will determine its next spiritual shepherd.
