Michael Brooks
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years. Pope Francis passed away on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88. However, as of 2024, he was very much alive and leading the Catholic Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Pope Francis |
| Birth Name | Jorge Mario Bergoglio |
| Date of Birth | 17 December 1936 |
| Date of Death | 21 April 2025 |
| Age at Death | 88 |
| Place of Death | Domus Sanctae Marthae in Vatican City |
| Cause of Death | Stroke followed by irreversible cardiac arrest |
| Date of Funeral | 26 April 2025 |
| Place of Funeral | St. Peter's Basilica |
| Number of Mourners | 250,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Pope Francis's death and funeral
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope in history, died on 21 April 2025, Easter Monday, at the age of 88. He had been experiencing health issues since 2021, including knee problems, a respiratory infection, and abdominal surgery. In February 2025, he was hospitalized again due to bronchitis and a polymicrobial infection, which ultimately led to his death.
Pope Francis's death triggered a period of mourning worldwide, with tens of thousands of people flocking to the Vatican to pay their respects. His funeral was held on 26 April 2025, five days after his death, and it was attended by approximately 250,000 people, including many world leaders and heads of state. The funeral took place primarily in St. Peter's Square and was a blend of simplicity and tradition, as per the Pope's wishes.
The funeral procession included archbishops, bishops, and cardinals, who wore traditional liturgical garments. The Pope's coffin, a basic wooden coffin lined with zinc, was carried in the procession and played a central role in the rituals. A text summarizing the Pope's life (rogitum) was placed inside the coffin, and various rituals and chants were performed by patriarchs, archbishops, and metropolitans of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
After the funeral service, Pope Francis's body, dressed in a red chasuble and a golden papal mitre, was transported from St. Peter's to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome for burial. He was the first Pope since Leo XIII in 1903 to be buried outside the Vatican. The burial concluded the funeral rituals and marked the end of Pope Francis's life, which was dedicated to serving the Catholic Church as its leader.
The Pope's death and funeral were significant events that brought people from all over the world together in mourning and highlighted the impact Pope Francis had on the Catholic community during his twelve years as the head of the Catholic Church.
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Pope Francis's declining health
Pope Francis, the former head of the Catholic Church, passed away on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88. His death came after a series of health issues and hospitalisations in the preceding years.
In 2021, Pope Francis suffered from sciatica, and in 2022, he began using a wheelchair due to persistent knee pain. He underwent treatment for this issue, but it continued to cause him problems, and he was forced to cancel trips to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan in June 2022.
Pope Francis's health issues continued into 2023, with the Pope suffering a respiratory infection in March, requiring hospitalisation, and undergoing emergency gastrointestinal surgery and abdominal surgery after suffering a hernia.
In February 2025, two months before his death, Pope Francis was admitted to hospital with bronchitis, which developed into a polymicrobial infection of his respiratory tract and bilateral pneumonia. He also suffered from early-stage kidney failure and a bronchial spasm, which caused him to inhale vomit and require mechanical ventilation. Although the Pope's condition improved slightly, and he was able to breathe without mechanical ventilation, his lung infection was not eliminated.
Despite his declining health, Pope Francis remained determined to recover and did not resign from his position. His death on 21 April 2025 was officially registered as a stroke followed by irreversible cardiac arrest.
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Pope Francis's legacy
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death on 21 April 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first pope born and raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.
Pope Francis's papacy was defined by mercy, justice, and care for the most vulnerable. He made the first papal visit to South Sudan since its independence from Sudan in 2011, a country that had since been plunged into brutal ethnic conflict. He also made an impact on the Catholic University of America, with students having the opportunity to participate in preparing for and welcoming him during his visit.
Pope Francis's death followed a five-week hospital stay, during which he suffered from a respiratory tract infection, double pneumonia, early-stage kidney failure, and a polymicrobial infection. He died of a stroke followed by irreversible cardiac arrest.
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Pope Francis's successor
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away on the 21st of April 2025, at the age of 88. He was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from the 13th of March 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first pope born and raised outside of Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope, Gregory III.
Pope Francis's death triggered a period of mourning across the globe, with tens of thousands of people flocking to the Vatican to pay their respects. His funeral took place on the 26th of April 2025, and he was buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, becoming the first pope to be interred there since Clement IX in 1669.
Pope Francis appointed more than 80% of the cardinals that elected his successor, significantly reducing the European share of the College of Cardinals. This included 21 new cardinals from six continents, many of whom reflected more modern and progressive ideals, such as support for the inclusivity of LGBTQ+ Catholics. Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, was also a well-known favourite for succession due to his support for migrants, interfaith dialogues, and his personal stance against war.
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Pope Francis's impact on the Catholic Church
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death on 21 April 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first pope born and raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.
Pope Francis's papacy was marked by structural reforms that some viewed as a return to the Church's roots, while others saw them as a departure. His election in 2013 was described as a "tectonic shift" in the life of the Church. One of his most significant impacts was his focus on environmental stewardship and his use of scientific data to support his teachings. In his 2015 encyclical "Praised Be," Francis denounced a "structurally perverse" world economic system that exploits the poor and endangers the planet. He also became the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq, reaching out to Muslims and believers who felt marginalized.
Pope Francis also made headlines for softening the Church's stance on homosexuality and contraception, and for his openness to women in leadership positions. He appointed women to roles previously held exclusively by men, such as Barbara Jatta, who became the director of the Vatican Museums in 2016, and Sister Nathalie Becquart, who became the first woman with voting rights in the Synod of Bishops in 2021. While maintaining the Church's stance against abortion, he shifted the focus away from it, saying that women who had abortions needed spiritual accompaniment.
Additionally, Pope Francis addressed deep-rooted problems of sexual abuse in the clergy, although his attempts were seen by many as insufficient and apologetic. He admitted to mishandling certain cases, such as that of Inzoli, and expressed "shame and sorrow" for the Catholic Church's role in abuses against Indigenous peoples in Canada. He also took a conciliatory approach toward the People's Republic of China, approving a provisional agreement in 2018 to normalize the situation of China's Catholics.
Pope Francis's papacy was also marked by health issues, including recurring mobility problems, a respiratory infection, and abdominal surgery. Despite this, he continued to lead the Catholic Church until his death in 2025, leaving behind a legacy of transformative impact and a focus on humility, poverty, and concern for the marginalized.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Pope Francis passed away on 21 April 2025, at the age of 88.
The Pope's cause of death was a stroke followed by irreversible cardiac arrest. He had been suffering from a respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia.
Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American pope, and the first pope born outside of Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope, Gregory III. He helped restore the image of a Church that had been discredited by sexual abuse scandals and the obsession with power held by many of its bishops.
