Pope Francis Dies at 88
On April 21, 2025, Easter Monday, Pope Francis, the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, died at his apartment at the Domus Sanctae Marthae in Vatican City. He was 88.
In a declaration issued by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, at 9:47 that morning, Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, announced the Pope's death. Cardinal Farrell said that at 7:35 that morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, had returned to the house of the Father, and that his entire life had been devoted to the service of the Lord and His Church.
The death certificate published by the Holy See Press Office the same day was signed by Professor Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of Vatican City State. It certifies that Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, died at 7:35 a.m. on April 21, 2025, in his apartment at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, from stroke, coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse, with death ascertained by electrocardio-anatomical recording. The certificate also records that he had suffered a previous episode of acute respiratory failure in the context of bilateral multimicrobial pneumonia, multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension and type II diabetes.
The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff gave notice the same day that, in accordance with the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis (nos. 21-40), Cardinal Farrell would preside that evening, Monday, April 21, at 8:00 p.m., over the rite of the certification of death and the laying of the body of the Roman Pontiff in the coffin, in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. The Dean of the College of Cardinals, the family members of the Roman Pontiff, and the Director and Vice Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene were requested to take part in the rite.
Francis was born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, the son of Piedmontese immigrants. After qualifying as a chemical technician, he chose the path of the priesthood and on March 11, 1958, entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus. He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969, gave his perpetual vows as a Jesuit in 1973, and was appointed provincial of the Jesuits of Argentina that same year. In 1992 he was appointed titular bishop of Auca and auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires; in 1998 he succeeded as Archbishop of Buenos Aires; and on February 21, 2001, John Paul II created him cardinal, of the title of Saint Robert Bellarmine.
On March 13, 2013, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Bergoglio was elected by the Cardinals gathered in Conclave as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church, at the age of 76, taking the name Francis in imitation of Saint Francis of Assisi. He officially began his Petrine ministry on March 19, 2013. The Holy See's official biography describes him as the first Pope to come from the Americas, an Argentine Jesuit; he was also the first Jesuit Pope.
During his pontificate, Francis made 47 apostolic journeys, visiting 66 countries. On February 14, 2025, he was admitted to Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome for a 38-day stay due to bilateral pneumonia, and after his return to the Vatican he spent the last weeks of his life at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, he made his final public appearance, imparting the Urbi et Orbi blessing from the loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica and then greeting the faithful in Saint Peter's Square; a few hours later, in the early hours of the following morning, he died. (Source: Holy See Press Office)
Source: Holy See Press Office
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：教宗方济各（2024年6月摄于意大利）。图：Ricardo Stuckert／Lula Oficial，CC BY-SA 2.0，via Wikimedia Commons / Photo: Pope Francis in June 2024 in Italy. Photo: Ricardo Stuckert / Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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