Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first Latin American and Jesuit pontiff, died on April 21, 2025, at 7:35 AM CEST in his residence at Casa Santa Marta, Vatican City. He was 88. The Vatican announced his passing, attributing it to complications from bilateral pneumonia following a 38-day hospitalisation earlier that year. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo, delivered the sombre news, praising Francis’s life of “fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.”
Born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents, Mario Bergoglio and Regina Sívori, Francis grew up in a working-class neighbourhood. The eldest of five children, he trained as a chemical technician and worked briefly as a nightclub bouncer before a severe respiratory illness at 21—requiring the removal of part of a lung—sparked his call to the priesthood. Joining the Jesuits in 1958, he was ordained in 1969, later serving as Argentina’s Jesuit provincial superior and Archbishop of Buenos Aires, where he earned a reputation for humility and social justice advocacy during the 2001 economic crisis. Elevated to cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II, he emerged as a global figure.
Elected pope on March 13, 2013, following Benedict XVI’s historic resignation, Francis chose his name in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, signalling his commitment to simplicity and care for the poor. His papacy redefined the modern Church, blending pastoral warmth with bold reforms. Rejecting the opulent papal apartments for a modest suite in Casa Santa Marta, he shunned pomp, often travelling in a Fiat and embracing a “Church which is poor and for the poor.” His informal style—marked by gestures like washing the feet of refugees and prisoners—earned him the moniker “the People’s Pope.”
Francis’s 12-year papacy was transformative yet polarising. His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ framed climate change as a moral imperative, influencing global environmental discourse. He championed migrants, the marginalised, and interreligious dialogue, notably visiting conflict zones and fostering ties with Muslim and Jewish leaders. His 2013 remark, “Who am I to judge?” regarding gay clergy, signalled unprecedented openness to the LGBTQ community, though he stopped short of altering doctrine on same-sex unions. He appointed women to senior Vatican roles and overhauled the Curia to curb financial corruption, but conservatives criticised his reforms as lax on tradition, with some, like Cardinal George Pell, calling his papacy a “catastrophe.”
Health challenges shadowed his later years. Chronic lung issues, compounded by his youth surgery, led to bouts of bronchitis and influenza. In 2021, he underwent colon surgery, and by 2022, knee pain and sciatica confined him to a wheelchair. His final hospitalisation in February 2025 for a respiratory crisis and pneumonia was marked by critical moments, including kidney failure and mechanical ventilation. Despite a brief recovery, his condition deteriorated after a public appearance on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, where he blessed crowds from St. Peter’s Square.
Francis’s legacy is one of paradox: a humble reformer who clashed with traditionalists, a global advocate for peace who couldn’t end conflicts like Ukraine’s, and a unifying figure in a divided Church. He appointed nearly 80% of the cardinal electors, tilting the conclave toward his progressive vision, though his successor’s path remains uncertain. In 2024, he approved simplified funeral rites, reflecting his wish for a modest farewell focused on faith, not worldly power. He will be laid to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, breaking a century-long Vatican tradition.
Tributes poured in on X, reflecting his complex legacy. One user hailed him as “one of the kindest, most accepting popes,” while another noted the “division” his reforms sparked, anticipating a contentious conclave. World leaders, from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to French President Emmanuel Macron, praised his compassion for the fragile.
Pope Francis is survived by his sister, María Elena Bergoglio, and niece, Cristina Bergoglio. His funeral Mass, guided by his updated rites, is forthcoming. As the Church enters sede vacante, the world mourns a pastor who sought to make the Gospel a living force for the marginalised, leaving a Church forever changed.
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