Updates: Pope Francis, Leader Of Roman Catholics, Dies At 88 On Easter

Pope Francis Death News: Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born Dec. 17, 1936, to Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the eldest of five children. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and led the religious order in Argentina during the country’s murderous dictatorship from 1976-83. He became archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and elevated to cardinal in 2001 by St. John Paul II. He was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013, on the fifth ballot.

Pope Francis Death News: Condoling the death of Pope Francis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Catholic priest’s affection for the people of India will always be cherished.

“Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world,” the Prime Minister said.

Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the… pic.twitter.com/QKod5yTXrB

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 21, 2025

From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope,” Prime Minister Modi posted on X.

Pope Francis Death News: US Vice President JD Vance, who is in India for a four-day visit, mourned Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. The US Vice President, before heading to India, met Pope Francis in the Vatican on Easter. 

“I just leaned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful,” Mr Vance wrote in a post on X.

Pope Francis Death News: The death of Pope Francis on Monday sets in motion centuries-old traditions which will culminate in the election by cardinals of a new pontiff — but with a few changes.

Pope Francis was the first non-European to lead the Roman Catholic church in nearly 1,300 years. The 88-year-old pontiff died on Easter, the Vatican confirmed.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the news and said, “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.”

Pope Francis changed the face of the modern papacy more than any predecessor by shunning much of its pomp and privilege, but his attempts to make the Catholic Church more inclusive and less judgmental made him an enemy to conservatives nostalgic for a traditional past.

The Vatican said on Monday in a video statement that he had died.

Francis inherited a deeply divided Church after the resignation in 2013 of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. The conservative-progressive gap became a chasm after Francis, from Argentina, was elected the first non-European pope in 1,300 years. 

Pope Francis, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, died on Easter today at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed. In his last post on X, the Pope wrote, “I would like us to renew our hope that #peace is possible! From the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Resurrection, where this year #Easter is being celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox on the same day, may the light of peace radiate throughout the Holy Land and the entire world.”

Pope Francis held a private meeting at the Vatican on Easter morning with US Vice President JD Vance, the Vatican had said in a statement.

Vance, a Catholic who has clashed with the pontiff over the Trump administration’s immigration policies, met Francis at his Vatican residence to exchange Easter greetings, the statement said.

Today I met with the Holy Father Pope Francis. I am grateful for his invitation to meet, and I pray for his good health.
Happy Easter! pic.twitter.com/SIhU9gYQl2

— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) April 20, 2025

“Pope Francis had a brief private encounter … lasting a few minutes, in order to exchanges good wishes on Easter day,” said the statement.

Vance, who has been visiting Italy with his family this weekend, met senior Vatican officials for more formal talks on Saturday. The pope, who is recovering from double pneumonia, did not take part in those discussions.

Pope Francis Death News: Pope Francis reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in an Easter Sunday message read aloud by an aide as the pontiff, still recovering from pneumonia, looked on during a brief appearance on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The 88-year-old pope, limiting his workload on doctors’ orders, did not preside over the Vatican’s Mass for Easter but appeared at the end of the event for a twice-yearly blessing and message known as the “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world).

Before a five-week hospital stay for pneumonia, which nearly killed him, Francis had been ramping up criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave “very serious and shameful” in January.

In the Easter message, the pontiff said the situation in Gaza was “dramatic and deplorable”. The pope also called on Palestinian operator group Hamas to release its remaining hostages and condemned what he said was a “worrisome” trend of antisemitism in the world.