Pope Francis has died at 88, just hours after making a public appearance for Easter.
The Pontiff, who was head of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome, became Pope in 2013 after his predecessor, Benedict XVI, resigned.
News of Pope Francis’ death was announced by Cardinal Farrell in a statement shared by the Vatican. He 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. Full stop. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of 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 the one and triune God.”
Pope Francis has recently had a lengthy stay in hospital after being admitted on February 14 for a bronchitis treatment. He was then diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and had blood transfusions after tests revealed he had low levels of platelets in his blood, believed to be related to anaemia.
He was revealed to be in a critical condition on February 22 after a prolonged respiratory crisis which required him to be treated with a high flow of oxygen, with the Vatican announcing the next day that the Pope was showing signs of initial mild kidney failure.
He remained in hospital for the rest of the month, with doctors saying that his condition was complex as Catholics prayed for his healing.
Pope Francis released his first audio message since being admitted to the hospital, telling the public on March 6: “I am with you from here.”
He was released from hospital after 38 days on March 23, making his first public appearance on a balcony at Gemelli where he smiled and gave crowds gathered below a thumbs up before returning to the Vatican for a planned two-month recovery period.
Pope Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, just hours before his death.