VATICAN CITY — April 21, 2025
With solemn hearts, the world today bids farewell to a humble giant. His Holiness Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has passed away peacefully at the age of 88. The Vatican confirmed his death on Easter Monday, in the quiet of the morning, within the walls of Casa Santa Marta—his chosen place of modest dwelling.
He was not just the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He was a bridge-builder, a voice for the voiceless, and a living embodiment of compassion in action. From the moment he stepped onto the papal balcony in 2013—gently bowing his head and asking the people to pray for him—Francis reshaped the papacy with grace, courage, and boundless humanity.
A son of Argentina, Pope Francis became the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope, yet he belonged to the world. He walked with the poor, spoke out against injustice, and sought unity where division reigned. In an age clouded by polarization, he chose empathy. In a Church long burdened by tradition, he offered tenderness and truth.
He was a pastor who traded palaces for simple quarters, titles for touch, and formality for fraternity. Whether embracing a disfigured pilgrim in St. Peter’s Square or washing the feet of refugees and prisoners, Francis made the Gospel a living, breathing presence in our time.
Even as his health declined, his spirit remained luminous. Just one day before his passing, he appeared at Easter Mass, lifting his hand in blessing to the crowds below—a gesture of enduring faith and farewell.
In a statement, Cardinal Kevin Farrell reflected, “He lived not for glory, but for grace. He reminded us that the Church is not a fortress of judgment, but a field hospital for the broken.”
Per his wishes, Pope Francis will be laid to rest not in grand spectacle, but in simplicity—buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, near an icon of the Virgin he often visited in prayer.
His legacy will echo in the footsteps of millions: the poor, the seekers, the doubters, and the faithful alike. To them, he was not just “Holy Father.” He was family.
As the bells of St. Peter’s toll and the world enters a period of mourning, we honor the man who dared to lead with love.
