Catholic pontiff, Pope Francis has died.
Francis died at the age of 88, the Vatican has announced.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Vatican said the pontiff died in his residence.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis was elected pope on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
He had recently survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness 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,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’s TV channel.
He was the first of five children born to parents of Italian descent.
Francis often shared stories about his close-knit family and faith-filled grandmother.
His grandparents survived a deadly shipwreck while migrating from Italy to Argentina.
This event inspired his deep compassion for migrants crossing dangerous paths for survival.
At 16, he had a life-changing moment during confession, leading him to the priesthood.
He entered seminary, but later chose the Jesuit order, known for missionary work and discipline.
His leadership qualities quickly stood out among his peers in the Jesuit community.
In 1973, at age 36, he became head of the Jesuits in Argentina.
He served in that role until 1979, guiding the order through difficult times.
He was elected Pope in 2013, becoming the first Jesuit and Latin American pope.
From the night of his election, he called for global peace and fraternity.
“Let us pray for the world to embrace fraternity,” he declared from St. Peter’s Basilica.
He spent his pontificate promoting unity across religions, races, and social divides.
Francis championed causes for migrants, the poor, and victims of global injustice.
He was widely respected for building bridges between faiths and world communities.
Pope Francis leaves a legacy of humility, compassion, and social justice for generations.
Pope faced fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherished traditions.
He also drew the ire of progressives, who felt he should have done much more to reshape the 2,000-year-old Church.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by the Vatican in coming days.