Pope Francis, the first pontiff of the Americas, dies at 88

“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sadness I must announce the death of our holy Father Francis,” said Cardinal Farrell in a video speech on Monday (21)

Pope Francis, the Argentine Jesuit who became the first Roman Catholic Pontiff of the Americas, died, the Vatican said on Monday (21). He was 88 years old. In a video speech, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the news. “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sadness I must announce the death of our holy Father Francis,” he said, according to a translation.

“At 7:35 am this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house. All his life was devoted to the service of the Lord and his church. He taught us to live the values ​​of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and marginalized,” said the cardinal.

“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we ordered Pope Francis’ soul to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God.”

Francisco died at his residence at Casa Santa Marta, in the Vatican. His burial is expected for the Basilica of Santa Maria Maior in Rome.

The Pope had been in health problems since February and was admitted to Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on February 14, 2025 with bronchitis. On February 21, his medical team reported that he was fighting pneumonia on both lungs – as well as bacterial, viral and fungal infections, as well as chronic bronchitis.

He left the hospital and returned to his Vatican residence after 38 days.

Francis’ successor will be chosen during a conclave, a meeting of the Cardinian College in charge of electing the next Pope.

A premiere Pope

Francisco, who was elected the 26th Pope of the Church after the retirement of Bento XVI in 2013, was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in the middle class neighborhood of Flores, in Buenos Aires, on December 17, 1936.

He was the first Jesuit Pope and the first Pope of the Southern Hemisphere. He was the first person outside Europe selected to lead the church nearly 1,300 years after Pope Gregory III of Syria, chosen in 731.

Son of Italian immigrant and Italian-Argentine mother, Francis was the oldest of five brothers. As a student, he worked as a janitor and nightclub security before becoming a chemistry technician.

Francis was ordained Father Jesuit in 1969 and became head of the Order of the Company of Jesus in Argentina and Uruguay in 1973, only 36 years old, holding office until 1979.

Pope John Paul II named Francisco Bishop in 1992 and, six years later, became the archbishop of Buenos Aires. In 2001, John Paul II named him Cardinal.

‘Everyone, all, all!’

Francis presided over the Catholic Church during a period of growing tension. In 2021, US bishops wrote a proposal that would deny communion to the newly elected President Joe Biden for his support for abortion. The vote of the US Catholic Bishops to write the plan occurred despite the objections of the Pope’s main doctrinal counselor, Cardinal Luis Ladaria.

More than two months later, Francisco himself strongly hinted his opposition to the proposal of the US bishops, telling reporters: “Communion is not a prize for the perfect ones.”

“I never refused the Eucharist to anyone,” said the Pope, calling on the bishops to be shepherds, not politicians. “What should the pastor should do?” He continued. “Be pastor, do not condemn. Be pastor, because he is also a pastor of the excommunicated.”

But he also firmly declared his opposition to abortion, calling him “murder.” “Who has an abortion kills,” he said.

Although Francis has struggled to avoid a climb of cultural wars and a polarization of his flock, he offered encouraging words to LGBTQ+Catholics. Upon returning from Portugal to Rome in August 2023, he told reporters that the Catholic Church was open to all and had a duty to accompany people in their personal path of spirituality within the structure of their rules.

During an event in Portugal, Francisco highlighted the inclusive nature of the Church by leading a multitude in a song of “Everyone, all, all!” (All, all, all!).

He ended 2023 stating that priests could bless same -sex couples, a significant change in Vatican politics. The Pope said that such blessings should not resemble marriages, but that people who seek God’s love and mercy should not be subjected to “exhaustive moral analysis” to receive them.

He also wanted a larger role for women in the church, particularly in high -ranking positions in the Vatican. In April 2023, he announced that he had decided to grant women the right to vote at a next meeting of bishops. It was an unprecedented historical initiative and achieved two goals: giving women greater responsibilities in decision making and allowing lay people to have more voice in the life of the church.

Health battles

When Francis was young, part of a lung was removed due to complications of a lung disease, a health problem that the Vatican said in 2013 that he never affected his work.

In recent years, he has had constant health problems, including various respiratory problems, flu and various surgeries.

He was first hospitalized as a Pope when he underwent colon surgery on July 4, 2021 at Gemelli Hospital to treat divertular stenosis. The Vatican said the operation had been planned, but the announcement caused a commotion in the church.

He was hospitalized again at the end of March 2023 and treated bronchitis. Before being taken away, he played with journalists saying he “was still alive.” Just over two months later, he underwent surgery to repair a hernia.

With information from CNBC*