According to a statement published on the Vatican News website, the Pope passed away at 7:35am local time on Easter Monday at his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, following complications related to a respiratory illness.

The announcement was made by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, who said:

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”

He added that Pope Francis had dedicated his life “to the service of the Lord and of His Church,” and that he consistently lived out the values of the Gospel “with fidelity, courage, and universal love,” particularly for the poor and marginalized.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, became the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the office. He was elected to the papacy in March 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Ongoing health concerns

The Vatican News report details that Pope Francis had been admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on 14 February 2025 after several days of illness. His condition later worsened, and on 18 February he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.

He remained in hospital for 38 days before returning to Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery. Despite periods of improvement, his health remained fragile.

The Pope had long-standing respiratory issues, having undergone surgery to remove part of a lung in 1957 while in his early 20s. In recent years, he frequently battled respiratory infections and cancelled several engagements, including a scheduled visit to the United Arab Emirates in November 2023.

Funeral arrangements

While the date of his funeral has not yet been announced, Vatican News noted that Pope Francis had personally approved a revised edition of the liturgical rites for a papal funeral in April 2024.

The second edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis includes updates to how the Pope’s death is formally recognised and how his body is prepared. According to the new guidelines, the declaration of death takes place in a chapel rather than in the room where the Pope died, and his body is placed immediately in a coffin.

Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, said the late Pope had requested that his funeral be kept simple, with an emphasis on the Christian hope in the resurrection.

“The renewed rite,” Archbishop Ravelli said, “seeks to emphasise even more that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ, and not of a powerful person of this world.”