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Pope Francis, the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its first Latin American pontiff, passed away on Easter Monday.
On April 21, 2025, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, confirmed the news in a video message given to the press. He stated that the first pope from the Society of Jesus died peacefully at his residence at the age of 88. In the message, the Vatican said:
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father... With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God."
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As news of his passing surfaced online, the early life and career of the Pope were explored. Pope Francis served as the pope, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, for 12 years.
Reflecting on the life and career of Pope Francis
Pope Francis was born on December 17, 1936, with the birth name Jorge Mario Bergoglio, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was also referred to as Francis I. The son of an Italian immigrant father and an Argentine mother of Italian descent, Francis was the eldest of five siblings.
In his early life, Pope Francis faced many struggles. As a student, he worked various jobs, including as a janitor, nightclub bouncer, and briefly in the food industry before becoming a chemical technician.
According to Britannica, at the age of 21, Francis suffered a health scare of pneumonia, which led to the removal of part of his right lung. In 1958, he studied humanities in Santiago, Chile, and later earned a master's degree in philosophy in Buenos Aires province.
After completing his studies, Francis became a Jesuit priest in 1969. Just four years later, in 1973, he became the leader of the Jesuits in Argentina and Uruguay at the young age of 36, a role he held until 1979.
According to CNBC, Pope Francis presided over the Catholic Church at a difficult time in 2021, when Joe Biden was elected President of the United States. According to the outlet, Francis indirectly showed that he was against the U.S. bishops' proposal.
"Communion is not a prize for the perfect. I have never refused the eucharist to anyone. calling on bishops to be pastors, not politicians. “What must the pastor do?”. Be a pastor, don’t go condemning. Be a pastor, because he is a pastor also for the excommunicated," Pope said.
On March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope, becoming the first pontiff from Latin America, the first Jesuit, and the first non-European pope in over 1,200 years. He served until 2025, focusing on humility, reform, climate action, and social justice.
The exact cause of his death remains unknown. However, in recent years, Pope has dealt with health scares involving various respiratory problems, the flu, and multiple surgeries. Most recently, in March 2023, he was hospitalized for treatment of bronchitis.
According to CNBC, Pope Francis died peacefully at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta and is expected to be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
