Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo, announced the news, expressing sorrow while highlighting the Pope’s commitment to serving the Lord, the Church, and the marginalized. He had been hospitalized due to bronchitis since February 14, 2025, with his condition deteriorating into bilateral pneumonia by February 18. After 38 days in the hospital, he was discharged to continue his recovery at Casa Santa Marta.
Born in Argentina in 1936, Jorge Mario Bergoglio took over the papacy in 2013 after Benedict XVI stood down. At the time the Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he was the first pope from the Americas, and had already become a high-profile figure in Latin America in general, particularly thanks to his public statements during Argentina’s financial crisis in the early 2000s.
Throughout his life, Jorge Mario Bergoglio battled respiratory issues, including a lung surgery in 1957, leading to several health concerns and the cancellation of a planned visit to the UAE in November 2023 due to influenza. In April 2024, he implemented updates to papal funeral rites to reflect simplicity and faith, stating that the arrangement of his remains should occur in the chapel, with his body placed in a coffin immediately.
The revised Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis emphasized a focus on pastoral duties rather than worldly grandeur. While details of his funeral Mass have yet to be revealed.
PM Modi condoles the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.He said Pope Francis is remembered globally as a symbol of compassion, humility, and spiritual courage.
In a x post Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, celebrating the Pope as a beacon of hope and inclusive development, recalling his deep commitment to serving the poor. Pope Francis’s legacy will endure as one of compassion and dedication to those in need.
He made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday — a day before his death — to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, drawing wild cheers and applause. Beforehand, he met U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
