The world woke up to sad news this Monday of the Easter Octave, April 21: the announcement of the death of Pope Francis. The news was delivered by the Vatican’s Camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell, in front of the Casa Santa Marta, the papal residence.
Read the full statement:
In February of this year, Pope Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital due to acute respiratory failure caused by a polymicrobial infection that led to severe bilateral pneumonia. The situation was even more delicate because Francis had already lost part of one of his lungs back in the 1950s.
After his health condition stabilized, he was discharged from the hospital and returned to Casa Santa Marta to recover on March 23.
12 Years Leading the Catholic Church
At the age of 76, the Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio began his pontificate on March 13, 2013. He was the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI and becoming the first Pope from Latin America.
Upon choosing the name Francis, he left a mark on his pontificate through his humility and love for the poor and marginalized of society. During his papacy, he instituted global observances highlighting the value of the poor, children, and the elderly. Francis also dedicated great attention and effort to the care of “Creation,” establishing an annual date in 2015 and later publishing the encyclical Laudato Si’.
Another striking feature of Francis was his role as a “peacemaker.” He promoted numerous meetings with heads of state and other religious leaders to encourage peace agreements and the end of wars.
Over these 12 years, Francis carried out more than 48 apostolic trips, including four World Youth Days: (Rio de Janeiro, Krakow, Panama, and Lisbon).
