By: Jessica A. Dennehy
Image: ABC News
Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and a transformative figure in modern religious history, died on April 21, 2025, at the Saint Martha House, Vatican City. He was 88 years old, with officials having released that he passed following complications from a stroke and heart failure. His passing comes just weeks after a recent hospitalization for pneumonia, which had initially shown signs of improvement.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis made history on multiple fronts when he ascended to the papacy on March 13, 2013. He was the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. His decade-plus tenure redefined papal leadership, marked by humility, social advocacy, and efforts to modernize and humanize the Church.
Pope Francis was often seen as a bridge between the ancient traditions of the Church and the complex realities of the modern world. Among his most noted contributions were his outspoken support for environmental stewardship—most prominently through his encyclical Laudato Si’—his focus on poverty and human dignity, and his calls for greater inclusivity, including toward the international LGBTQ+ community. He also pushed for broader roles for women in Church governance, challenged the global community on refugee rights, and advanced interfaith dialogue with humility and openness.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing beginning tomorrow morning. Dignitaries, faithful pilgrims, and clergy from across the globe are expected to travel to Rome to pay their respects.
The funeral Mass will be held in St. Peter’s Square later this week, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, expected to preside over the rites. Heads of state, religious leaders, and humanitarian figures closely associated with the pope’s causes are expected to attend.
With the papacy now vacant, the College of Cardinals will soon convene for a conclave to elect the next pope. As the Church enters a new chapter, Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of moral courage, deep compassion, and a pursuit of justice—for all.