Pope Francis, the progressive and first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died.
He passed away at 88 after a serious bout of double pneumonia.
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’s TV channel.
His reign over the Vatican saw many issues, ranging from dispute over gay marriage to climate change and condemning mass deportations in the US as a disgrace — just hours before his death.
“At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father”, said Cardinal Kevin Farrell on the Vatican’s official television channel.
It could be said that he died onstage, as his last mediation was an important one – with US Vice President J.D. Vance.
He passed away just one day after Easter — on a rare year when Catholic and Orthodox Easters coincided.
Anointed pope in 2013, he was different from the opulent style of the Vatican – a humble defender of the poor, refugees, and the downtrodden.
