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Pope Francis died at the age of 88, bringing to a close a twelve-year pontificate marked by bold outreach to the marginalized and sweeping reforms within the Church

In Vatican City, Pope Francis—renowned for reshaping the Catholic Church with his message of mercy and inclusivity—died at age 88 on April 21, 2025. The Vatican announced that he passed away from double pneumonia at 7:35 a.m. CEST in his residence at the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

Over his twelve-year pontificate, Francis reshaped the Church’s presence in today’s world. He put the marginalized at the forefront—famously asking, “Who am I to judge?” in reference to LGBTQ+ individuals—and made history as the first pope to endorse civil unions for same-sex couples. In his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, he urged immediate action on climate change, casting care for our common home as a moral obligation. He also slashed Vatican bureaucracy, dispatched bishops to troubled regions, and sold Church assets to fund aid for refugees.

Throughout his life, Francis battled significant health challenges, from persistent respiratory issues to mobility-limiting ailments. As a teenager, he underwent surgery to remove part of one lung after a severe infection, a procedure that left him with reduced respiratory reserve and made him particularly prone to lung illnesses in later years. In July 2021, he underwent an operation for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon—resulting in the removal of roughly 13 inches of colon—and struggled with chronic knee pain and sciatica that slowed his movements but never silenced his pastoral commitment. Even during his final hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli Policlinic in early 2025 for a polymicrobial respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia, Francis continued composing reflections and greeting envoys, living out his conviction that “the Church must go into the streets. Despite these recurrent health crises, his resolve never wavered—his pontificate remained defined by humility, outreach, and steadfast service to the marginalized

Global leaders expressed their grief at his passing. French President Emmanuel Macron called him “a beacon of hope in dark times,” while Israel’s President Isaac Herzog commended his dedication to interfaith peace. On social media, ordinary Catholics, activists, and climate campaigners alike poured out tributes, underscoring his unparalleled gift for uniting people across divides.

Francis departs having reshaped the Church into an institution willing to revisit the question of divorce, open its doors to refugees, and confront widening economic disparities. While detractors decried his changes as polarizing, his supporters celebrated a shepherd who placed people’s needs above strict doctrine. As the Vatican readies itself for the conclave to choose his successor, his enduring legacy will be that of a “field hospital for the wounded.”