Pope Francis passed away this morning due to a stroke, which is said to be unrelated to the respiratory issues he suffered in February, according to Italian news outlet La Repubblica.
In a statement to the outlet, doctors who treated him said: “The Pope passed away peacefully,” adding that he had suffered “a brain problem, most likely a stroke.” It is unknown whether it was hemorrhagic or not.
His doctors reportedly said that he had woken up at 6am, fell ill at 7am, and passed away from a stroke around half-an-hour later.
Pope Francis suffered “a brain problem, most likely a stroke,” doctors who treated him said
Image credits: Presidenza della Repubblica
The leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013 passed away aged 88 at home in the Saint Martha residence in the Vatican after dedicating his “entire life” to serving God and the Church, the Holy See’s press service stated.
His body will lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica for three days, and then he will be buried in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
His body could lie in state as soon as Wednesday, according to Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office.
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In his last public appearance before his passing, the Pope greeted thousands of worshippers in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
He appeared on the Vatican balcony and told crowds, “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” before an aide read the rest of his annual Urbi et Orbi blessing and speech.
He also met US Vice President JD Vance, marking his highest-profile appearance since being discharged from hospital.
Pope Francis had a prolonged respiratory crisis that required the administration of high-flow oxygen and transfusions. He remained hospitalized at Gemelli for 38 days, until March 23, when he was discharged.
The Vatican first announced that Pope Francis had bronchitis on February 6 after he canceled several events and had reportedly been struggling to breathe and speak. He was admitted to the hospital on February 14, where he was diagnosed with bilateral (double) pneumonia.
Doctors said he passed away “peacefully” at around 7:30 a.m. on Monday
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At the hospital, he suffered multiple attacks of “acute respiratory insufficiency,” according to the Vatican. He was also diagnosed with a polymicrobial infection and mild renal insufficiency.
February 28 was the “worst night,” Sergio Alfieri, a physician at Rome’s Gemelli hospital told local media Corriere della Sera. On that night, the Pope’s condition suddenly worsened and physicians considered halting treatment to allow him to pass naturally.
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Before leaving the hospital, he appeared on a balcony in a wheelchair, where he offered a brief blessing to a crowd of about 3,000 people gathered below.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the first Latin-American pontiff in 2013 and was one of the oldest popes in the church’s history.
His passing brings an end to what is considered one of the most consequential papacies of modern times, in which the Pope spoke out about environmentalism and care for the poor and marginalized.
The Pope had been discharged from the hospital after a pneumonia diagnosis on March 23
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Among those to pay tribute to the Pope was French President Emmanuel Macron, who sent his thoughts “to all Catholics and to the grieving world.”
“From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest,” he wrote on social media. “May it unite people with each other and with nature. May this hope continually revive beyond him.”
Pope Francis appeared publicly just over 24 hours ago, when he wished worshippers in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square a “Happy Easter”.
The Pope, 88, waved to cheering crowds from his wheelchair on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. pic.twitter.com/G2SYlOh8R2
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 21, 2025
Barack and Michelle Obama highlighted Pope Francis’ “humility and his gestures.”
“Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another.
“Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope’s example. May we continue to heed his call to ‘never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope.'”
Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we… pic.twitter.com/AFI0BEotUO
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 21, 2025
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Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, wrote: “Pope Francis has returned to the house of the Father. This news saddens us deeply, because a great man and a great pastor have left us.
“I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering. In the meditations of the Via Crucis, he reminded us of the power of the gift, which makes everything flourish again and is capable of reconciling what in the eyes of man is irreconcilable.
The first Latin American pontiff was known for his commitment to social justice and doctrinal conservatism
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“His teaching and his legacy will not be lost. We greet the Holy Father with hearts full of sadness, but we know that he is now in the peace of the Lord.”
Argentina has declared a week-long mourning period and held a special mass in Buenos Aires’ Metropolitan Cathedral, where he was once archbishop.
“He was a wonderful Pope. May he rest in peace,” one reader wrote
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