Pope Francis dies at age of 88
VATICAN CITY
Pope Francis, an energetic reformer who inspired widespread devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists, died Monday aged 88.
The Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, spent 38 days being treated for double pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli hospital before seeming to recover, leaving the facility on March 23.
His death came just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance, looking frail, on the balcony at Saint Peter's Basilica.
"Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.
The pope’s death sets in motion centuries-old traditions that will culminate in the gathering of a conclave of cardinals to choose a successor.
In the meantime, the day-to-day running of the tiny Vatican City state will be handled by the camerlengo, a senior cardinal, currently Dublin-born Kevin Farrell.
Francis, whose real name was Jorge Bergoglio, was the first Jesuit to lead the world's almost 1.4 billion Catholics and the first from the Americas.
He took over after Benedict XVI became the first pontiff since the Middle Ages to step down, and cut a sharply different figure from the German theologian.
A football-loving former archbishop of Buenos Aires who was often happiest among his flock, Francis sought to forge a more open and compassionate Church.
World leaders praised him for having strongly defended social justice, the rights of migrants and the environment.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condoled over the death of Pope, expressing that he is "deeply saddened."
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Catholic world and Head of State of the Vatican," Erdoğan said on X.
Hailing Pope Francis' efforts on the genocide in Gaza, and Palestine issue, Erdoğan said: "Pope Francis was a distinguished statesman and a spiritual leader who valued dialogue among different faith communities. He took initiative in the face of humanitarian tragedies, especially on the Palestinian issue and the genocide in Gaza."
He concluded by extending his and the Turkish nation's condolences to the pope's family, the Vatican State, and the Catholic world.
"Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!," U.S. President Donald Trump, who clashed with the Argentine pontiff on a number of issues, wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the late pope as a "defender" of "humanism and justice," and praised his efforts to promote dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Francis had "inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate."
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said "a great man has left us" in a statement, while French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Francis for being always "on the side of the most vulnerable and the most fragile."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Francis's "commitment to peace, social justice and the most vulnerable leaves a profound legacy" and Germany's incoming chancellor describing him as "guided by humility and faith."
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert who briefly met Francis on April 20 while on a trip to Rome with his family, said his "heart goes out" to Christians during a visit to India, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the late pontiff as a "beacon of compassion."
When Francis took over, the Catholic Church was mired in infighting and beset by a global scandal over clerical sex abuse of children and decades of cover-ups.
He promised an end to impunity and changed Vatican law to help tackle abuse, though victims said he could have gone further.
More widely, he initiated a major shake-up of the Vatican's powerful governing body, including improving financial responsibility and allowing lay Catholics to lead Vatican offices.
Throughout his papacy, Francis championed the poor and vulnerable and emphasized love over doctrine.
"If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?" he said at the start of his papacy.
However, his detractors accused him of failing to uphold established Church doctrine, and his final months were marked by increasingly outspoken attacks by senior cardinals.
Tensions with conservative Catholics marked the Synod congress that met at the Vatican at the end of 2023, part of a years-long global consultation on the future of the Church, that Francis now leaves unfinished.
