Died on Easter: Catholics around the world are left without Pope Francis
Reuters, citing the Vatican, reports that Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) has died at the age of 88. Test results conducted in recent days revealed the pontiff had a polymicrobial respiratory infection.
As a young man, in 1957, at the age of 20, the future pope underwent surgery in his native Argentina to remove part of a lung affected by a severe respiratory infection. As he aged, Pope Francis often suffered from respiratory problems and even cancelled a planned visit to the United Arab Emirates in November 2023 due to influenza and pneumonia.
The 88-year-old Pope was last hospitalized recently, when his condition was assessed as “stable.” During his treatment, the Pope nearly died, but he appeared in public shortly before Easter.
The Pope's death was sudden. After 38 days in hospital, the late pontiff returned to his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, to continue his recovery.
Just yesterday, the pontiff celebrated the Easter liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican in the presence of thousands of believers. In addition, yesterday morning the Pope held a personal meeting in the Vatican with US Vice President J.D. Vance.
The Vatican said in a statement that Vance, a Catholic who has clashed with the pontiff over the Trump administration's immigration policies, met with Francis to exchange Easter greetings.
"Pope Francis had a brief personal meeting... lasting a few minutes, to exchange good wishes on Easter Day," the statement read. After Easter Mass, the pope later appeared in St. Peter's Square to greet the crowds in the open popemobile.
The vice president, who visited Italy this weekend with his family, met with senior Vatican officials for more formal talks on Saturday.
Dad, who was recovering from double pneumonia, did not take part in these discussions.
The Pope and other Vatican officials have criticized a number of policies by President Donald Trump's administration, including its plans to deport millions of migrants from the United States and sweeping cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programs.
Francis called the crackdown on immigration a " disgrace ." Vance, who became a Catholic in 2019, cited medieval Catholic teaching to justify the policy.
The pope rejected the theological framework Vance used to defend the crackdown in an unusual open letter to US Catholic bishops about the Trump administration in February, calling Trump's plan a "grave crisis" for the United States.
As Vatican News reports, citing the Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the late Pope Francis asked for funeral rites to be simplified and focused on expressing the Church's faith in the Risen Body of Christ.
In April 2024, the late Pope Francis approved an updated edition of the liturgical book for papal funeral rites, which will be used for the funeral Mass. It has not yet been announced.
The second edition of Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis introduces several new elements, including how the Pope's remains are to be treated after his death. The death is to be certified in a chapel, rather than in the room where he died, and the body is immediately placed in a coffin.
"The renewed rite is intended to further emphasize that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is the funeral of a shepherd and disciple of Christ, and not of an influential person of this world," said Archbishop Ravelli.
Francis was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and became the 2013th Pope in 266—the first from Latin America. As head of the Vatican, Francis has earned a reputation as a progressive churchman.
Here is a small selection of his quotes on social topics:
"Just as the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' sets clear boundaries for preserving the value of human life, today we must say 'Thou shalt not kill' to the economy of alienation and inequality. Such an economy kills."
"Some people continue to advocate 'trickle-down' theories, which suggest that economic growth driven by free markets will inevitably lead to a more just and inclusive world. … This view, which has never been supported by the facts, expresses a crude and naive faith in the goodness of those who wield economic power."
"The worship of the ancient golden calf has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the form of the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy devoid of any truly human purpose."
"Economic and social exclusion is a complete denial of human brotherhood and a serious violation of human rights and the environment."
"Inequality is the root of social evil."
"Any economic system that deprives the poor and marginalized of access to the benefits of society cannot be considered fair."
English version :: Read in English : He died on Easter: Catholics around the world are left without Pope Francis