After suffering multiple ailments in his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff and an important figure in the modern Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed Monday, March 21.

The Vatican has announced the death of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday. He was widely recognized as a champion of the poor and a reformer who faced intense resistance while reshaping the Catholic Church.

Despite his declining health, Pope Francis appeared in public on Easter Sunday—the holiest day in Christianity, celebrated by 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide—where he greeted joyful crowds at the Vatican just a day before his passing.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, officially announced the passing of Pope Francis, stating that he died at 7:35 a.m.

In his statement, the camerlengo said, “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.”

Earlier this year, Pope Francis experienced a severe health crisis and was hospitalized for five weeks due to double pneumonia. He was discharged last month and had been recovering at his residence, Casa Santa Marta, within the Vatican. The Vatican had reported just last week that his condition was improving.

The announcement likely surprised many, arriving less than a day after the pope made a notable public appearance.

With his passing, a significant era in the Catholic Church comes to an end—one that was marked by his commitment to mercy, simplicity, and reaching out to the marginalized among the Church’s 1.3 billion followers.

Condolences and messages of admiration for the pontiff started to pour in shortly after the announcement was made, with world leaders sharing their thoughts and worshipers seen gathering at Saint Peter’s Square.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936 to Italian migrant parents, Pope Francis made history as the first Latin American and Jesuit pope in the Church’s 2,000-year history. He was also the first pope to choose the name Francis.

Quickly establishing himself as a modernizer, the Argentine pontiff became known for his bold stance on humanitarian issues, including migration, war, and climate change.

Francis aimed to reform the Church by challenging elitist attitudes among the clergy, advocating for a compassionate approach to divorced and gay Catholics, and calling for an inclusive Church that welcomes all. He took significant steps to address financial corruption within the Vatican and confronted the widespread issue of clerical sexual abuse, introducing laws to hold bishops accountable for cover-ups. 

Additionally, he worked to expand the role of women in the Vatican and allowed priests to bless same-sex couples.

Pope Francis also worked to build bridges with the Muslim world and played an active role in seeking peace, particularly in the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Despite taking significant steps to reform, Pope Francis was unable to put an end to the ongoing scandal of child sexual abuse and other forms of misconduct that had long plagued the Church.

Although he took personal responsibility for addressing these issues, the scandals continued to damage the Church’s reputation in various countries throughout his papacy.

His reforms met strong opposition from ultra-conservatives within the Church, while many progressive Catholics believed he didn’t go far enough. They felt he should have made more progress on issues like ordaining married men as priests, revising the Church’s teachings on homosexuality, and expanding the role of women in ministry.

Further updates will follow soon.