Pope Francis dies aged 88
Summary
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Pope Francis has died aged 88, the Vatican says
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The Pope, who is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at 07:35 local time on Easter Monday
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World leaders pay tribute to his “contagious smile” and “boundless compassion”, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling him a “man of humility”
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His death comes a day after he appeared in St Peter’s Square to wish “Happy Easter” to thousands of worshippers
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He was recently discharged from hospital last month after five weeks of treatment for an infection
Live Reporting
Edited by Thomas Spender and Jack Burgess
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Pope’s death comes in Catholic jubilee yearpublished at 09:45 British Summer Time
Image source, ReutersThe pontiff’s death not only follows the most important calendar event for Catholics, but falls into the special jubilee year, which comes around every 25 years.
The jubilee kicked off when the Pope opened the usually bricked-up Holy Door at St Peter’s Basilica on 24 December, and sees millions of pilgrims descend on the Vatican to pass through the doorway and seek forgiveness for their sins.
Tens of thousands of Catholics had gathered for the Easter Mass in this special year.
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Watch: Pope Francis, the bouncer who became pontiffpublished at 09:41 British Summer Time
The BBC’s religion editor, Aleem Maqbool, takes us through the life of the late Pope Frances in this short, 90-second video:
Media caption, Pope Francis: The bouncer who became pontiff
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‘A voice for peace with a contagious smile’: World leaders’ tributespublished at 09:32 British Summer Time
Tributes are pouring in now:
- Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof says “Pope Francis was in every way a man of the people”
- European Parliament President Roberta Metsola says “his contagious smile captured millions of people’s hearts across the globe”
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog hails his “boundless compassion”
- Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter says Pope Francis was a “great spiritual leader, a tireless advocate for peace”
- Scottish First Minister John Swinney describes him as “a voice for peace, tolerance and reconciliation”
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Pope Francis was a ‘man of humility’, Macron sayspublished at 09:29 British Summer Time
Breaking
Image source, EPAImage caption, The French president is pictured here meeting the Pope in 2023
French President Emmanuel Macron is among the first world leaders to pay tribute to Pope Francis, calling him a “man of humility, on the side of the most vulnerable and most fragile”.
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Pope’s last public appearance was for Easter Sunday blessingpublished at 09:21 British Summer Time
Media caption, Watch: Pope Francis wishes the faithful a “happy Easter” to applause from Vatican crowds
The Pope’s death comes fewer than 24 hours after he made an appearance at the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square for Easter Sunday.
He came out in a wheelchair and waved from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to cheering crowds and said: “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter.”
Image source, ReutersHis traditional Easter address and blessing was read by an aide while he sat, watching.
Following the blessing, he was driven around the square. As he passed through the crowds, his procession paused a number of times as babies were brought over for him to bless.
Image source, Getty Images -
Watch the scene at the Vaticanpublished at 09:18 British Summer Time
Image source, AFPSee the latest at the Vatican in our live stream above – press watch live at the top of the page.
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What happens when the Pope dies?published at 09:16 British Summer Time
A papal funeral has traditionally been an elaborate affair, but Pope Francis recently approved plans to make the whole procedure less complex.
Previous pontiffs were buried in three nested coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.
Pope Francis has opted for a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.
He has also scrapped the tradition of placing the Pope’s body on a raised platform – known as a catafalque – in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing.
Instead, mourners will be invited to pay their respects while his body remains inside the coffin, with the lid removed.
Francis will also be the first Pope in more than a Century to be buried outside the Vatican.
He will be laid to rest in the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of four major papal basilicas in Rome.
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The first non-European Pope in centuriespublished at 09:11 British Summer Time
Image source, ReutersFrancis’s papacy heralded many firsts and while he never stopped introducing reforms to the Catholic Church, he remained popular among traditionalists.
He was the first Pope from the Americas or the southern hemisphere. Not since Syrian-born Gregory III died in 741 had there been a non-European Bishop of Rome.
He was also the first Jesuit to be elected to the throne of St Peter – Jesuits were historically looked on with suspicion by Rome.
Francis’s predecessor, Benedict XVI, was the first Pope to retire voluntarily in almost 600 years and for almost a decade the Vatican Gardens hosted two popes.
As Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina, he was already in his seventies when he became Pope in 2013.
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Vatican announces Pope Francis’s death – statement in fullpublished at 09:06 British Summer Time
A short while ago, His Eminence, Cardinal Farrell, announced with sorrow the death of Pope Francis, with these words:“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.
Quote Message
At 7:35 this morning (local time), the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.”
Farrell adds: “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
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Vatican statementpublished at 09:01 British Summer Time
Breaking
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
Follow our coverage by clicking the button at the top of this page.
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Pope Francis dies aged 88published at 09:01 British Summer Time
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Image source, ReutersPope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican has announced.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected to lead the Catholic Church in March 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI stood down.
