Pope Francis Dies at 88 After 12 Years Leading the Catholic Church
- Victor Nwoko
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
Pope Francis, the first Latin American and Jesuit pope, has died at the age of 88 following a prolonged battle with respiratory illness. The Vatican’s camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, confirmed his death on Monday, marking the end of a transformative and often controversial papacy that spanned over a decade.
Cardinal Farrell, the official tasked with overseeing the Vatican's administration between popes, announced: “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised. 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 God.”
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, succumbed to complications related to a severe lung infection that had progressed to kidney insufficiency. The pontiff had long suffered from respiratory issues, having lost a portion of one lung in his youth. He was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on February 14 and remained there for 38 days — the longest hospital stay of his papacy — before his death on Easter Monday. Just a day earlier, he had appeared in St. Peter’s Square to deliver a surprise blessing and tour in the Popemobile, drawing applause from a cheering crowd.
Before his ordination as a Jesuit priest in 1969, Bergoglio earned a chemical technician’s diploma and worked as a food technician, janitor, and nightclub bouncer. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1958 and rose through the ranks of the Argentine Catholic Church, eventually being appointed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.
In 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected pontiff on the fifth ballot of the conclave. He chose the name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, signaling a commitment to humility, poverty, and environmental stewardship.
Pope Francis distinguished himself with a reformist and inclusive vision for the Catholic Church. He refused many traditional papal privileges, opting instead to live in a modest guesthouse, ride in simple vehicles, and wear plain attire. His outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality, support for increased roles for women in the Church, and emphasis on climate change positioned him as a progressive figure on the global religious stage.
His papacy also faced challenges and criticism. While praised for transparency and Vatican financial reforms, Francis was seen as unpredictable by some officials and struggled to fully address the Church’s long-standing clerical sexual abuse crisis. Conservative factions within the Church also pushed back against his inclusive theological approach and clampdowns on the traditional Latin Mass.
Francis played a prominent diplomatic role throughout his tenure, addressing global crises such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the war in Ukraine, and the plight of refugees. In 2014, he helped broker the restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba. He also strongly criticized unrestrained capitalism and urged Western nations to accept more refugees.
Throughout his papacy, Francis visited over 65 countries, traveling more than 465,000 kilometers. Despite this extensive global outreach, he never returned to his native Argentina.
His death sets in motion the interregnum — the period between the end of one papacy and the election of the next. The camerlengo officially verifies the Pope’s death by calling his name three times. With no response, the Pope is declared deceased, and preparations for a new papal conclave begin. Up to 120 Cardinals under the age of 80 will gather in the Sistine Chapel for a secretive vote that requires a two-thirds majority to elect the next pope. White smoke from the chapel’s chimney will signal that a new pontiff has been chosen.
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