His passing occurred at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, just one day after Easter celebrations. The news stunned Catholics and non-Catholics alike, marking the end of a papacy defined by humility, reform, and compassion. Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025. Vatican News shared an image in memoriam, featuring a serene portrait of the late Pope with the inscription, “Pope Francis, 1936–2025.”
The caption simply read, “Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.” The late Pope’s health had been a source of growing concern in recent months. Just two weeks earlier, he had made a surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square, his first since being hospitalized.
According to Vatican sources, Pope Francis passed away peacefully in his sleep during the early hours of Easter Monday. Members of his household staff and personal aides were present, and a Vatican physician officially confirmed the death shortly after sunrise. Reports indicate that the Pope had spent much of Easter Sunday in prayer and quiet conversation with those closest to him. News of his death sent shockwaves across the globe. The bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled 88 times, once for each year of his life, as faithful from around the world began to gather in the square. Vigils quickly formed in major cities, from Buenos Aires to Manila, with candles, flowers, and handwritten notes left outside churches and embassies.
World leaders, faith communities, and humanitarian organizations issued heartfelt tributes. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called him “a moral compass for the world,” while U.S. President Maria Sanchez described him as “a shepherd of peace in turbulent times.” His leadership on issues like climate change, social justice, and interfaith dialogue had earned him respect far beyond the Catholic Church.
The Vatican announced that Pope Francis’s body would lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica beginning Tuesday morning, where hundreds of thousands are expected to pay their respects. A funeral Mass is being planned for the end of the week, to be presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State. The ceremony will follow ancient Church traditions, but is also expected to reflect the personal touches that characterized Francis’s papacy. As tributes continue to pour in, many reflect not only on his historic role as the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Americas, but on the humanity and warmth he brought to the role. His papacy will be remembered for his tireless outreach to the poor, his gentle sense of humor, and his repeated calls for mercy over judgment.
