The Catholic world is mourning the loss of Pope Francis, who died at 7.35am on Easter Monday at his Casa Santa Marta residence.
Cardinal Keevin Farrell announced that the 88-year-old pontiff, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, passed away after a prolonged battle with respiratory issues.
He leaves behind a legacy of humility, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the marginalised.
After suffering from a bout of bronchitis in February, Pope Francis was admitted to Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital.
His condition deteriorated, and the doctors later diagnosed him with bilateral pneumonia.
The pope spent 38 days in the hospital before going back to his Vatican home to recuperate further.
His passing brings an end to a 12-year pontificate that revolutionised the Catholic Church’s outreach around the world.
Recurrent respiratory ailments
Born in 1936, his health challenges began at an early age. In his 20s, he underwent surgery to remove part of a lung due to a severe respiratory infection.
He experienced numerous recurrent respiratory ailments while serving as pope, including influenza and lung inflammation that forced him to postpone a November 2023 trip to the United Arab Emirates.
“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,” reads part of the statement from the Vatican.
Although specifics of his funeral have not yet been revealed, it is anticipated that it will centre on the church’s belief in the risen Christ and follow the simplified rites.
Now, Catholics everywhere await the election of Francis’ successor — a process influenced by his progressive outlook but steeped in tradition.
Pope denounced Israel’s military campaign in Gaza
The pope’s passing ends a period of exceptional leadership.
His outreach to refugees and low-income earners, as well as his Laudato Si calls for environmental stewardship and taking on wandering world leaders, redefined the papacy for a contemporary world.
Pope Francis was well-known for harshly denouncing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation there humiliating and dire.
Pope Francis vehemently denounced US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in January in a rare open letter to America’s Catholic bishops, saying that criminalising migrants and enacting policies based on force “will end badly”.
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