The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, has died at the age of 88.
He died on Monday, a day after making a much hoped-for appearance at Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, the Vatican said in a statement.
“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” a statement from the camerlengo said.
“At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church”.
Farrell continued, “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized.
“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 the Triune God,” the statement concluded.
The announcement would have come as a shock to many, coming less than a day after the pope made a high-profile appearance in public.
While he did not appear as engaged as usual on Sunday, he still managed to address a huge crowd of worshippers.
Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, in what marked his highest-profile appearance yet since being discharged from hospital.
Just before that, he held a brief meeting with US Vice President JD Vance.
The pope’s tireless advocacy for migrants saw him sharply criticize US President Donald Trump’s immigration deportation policies in the months before his death.
