One day after Easter Mass: Pope Francis is dead

Vatican - Pope Francis is dead. He died at the age of 88. This was announced by the Vatican on Easter Monday.

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88.
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88.  © Andrew Medichini/AP/dpa

The head of the Catholic Church had given the Easter blessing "Urbi et Orbi" in front of tens of thousands of believers on Easter Sunday with a weak voice.

One day later, the Vatican reported the death of the 88-year-old.

"This morning at 7.35 a.m., the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father's house," Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced in a statement on the Vatican's Telegram channel.

The Pope was suffering from complicated bilateral pneumonia and had been hospitalized in Rome in February 2025.

Pope Francis has held the office of head of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013.
Pope Francis has held the office of head of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013.  © Ana Brigida/AP/dpa

Pope Francis has died: Who will succeed Jorge Mario Bergoglio?

At the Easter blessing, Pope Francis looked very shaken.
At the Easter blessing, Pope Francis looked very shaken.  © Andreas SOLARO / AFP

The faithful and people from all over the world had prayed for the Pope's health . After around five weeks, the pontiff was able to leave the hospital .

On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated the traditional Easter Mass, already looking very frail. He was in a wheelchair, partly because a knee ailment was causing him discomfort.

The Argentinian, whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, took office as head of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. He was the first non-European to hold this high-ranking ecclesiastical office in more than 1,200 years.

A successor to the deceased has not yet been appointed.

The new pope will then be elected to the Holy See by the cardinals in a conclave.