Pope Francis

Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025 at the age of 88, the Vatican has announced.

A native of Argentina, Francis was history's first pope from the Americas, as well as the first pope from the southern hemisphere and the first Jesuit pope.

The news comes just one day after the Pope, who had been hospitalized for pneumonia in recent weeks, appeared in St. Peter's Square to greet worshipers on Easter and pray for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine, Africa and elsewhere.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was the son of an Argentine mother and an Italian immigrant father whose family fled the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini. Before joining the church, he worked as a chemical technician, as well as a janitor and a bouncer in a bar. He went to seminary and entered the Society of Jesus as a novice in 1958, and was ordained in 1969.

Francis served with the Jesuits in Argentina for many years, with positions including provincial superior and rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel. In 1992, he was named Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires, and he became the city's metropolitan archbishop in 1998. He became a cardinal in 2001, retaining that position until his election as pope.

Francis was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, after his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI (1927–2022), stepped down. Francis was the first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the poor, and it reflected his emphasis on helping those in need. As pope, he favored accessibility, sometimes preferring not to be driven in the papal car and choosing to live in the Vatican guest house rather than the official papal residence. He dressed in simpler vestments than his predecessors, and in 2024, he made changes to the papal funeral and burial rites, calling for less formal ceremonies that focus on the pope as a pastor rather than a "person of power." For example, while the tradition for popes is to be buried in three nested caskets – one each of cypress, lead, and elm – Francis specified that he, and future popes, should be buried in one simple wooden coffin.

Francis' papal motto was "Miseranda atque eligendo," referring to Jesus' mercy toward sinners, which reflected his love of social justice and belief that the Catholic Church should be more welcoming to people who may have violated its rules. Francis was a believer in climate change who taught that we should respect the earth, and he spoke out against racism. He was supportive of the LGBTQ community, teaching that God loves them as they are. Though he was against same-sex marriage, he advocated for civil unions for LGBTQ people. In 2015, Francis declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy, during which time indulgences could be earned by those following the teachings of the Church.

Francis was at odds with some more conservative members of the Church, who disliked his liberal attitude toward matters including abortion, homosexuality, and environmentalism. He also received criticism for the Church's handling of sexual abuse by priests. Though Francis apologized for this abuse and worked to reduce it, he also notably supported some priests who were accused of sexual abuse.

In a 2024 "60 Minutes" interview, Pope Francis said: "You see tragedies, but you also see so many beautiful things. You see heroic mothers, heroic men, men who have hopes and dreams, women who look to the future? That gives me a lot of hope. People want to live. People forge ahead. And people are fundamentally GOOD. We are all fundamentally good. Sometimes we are a little mischievous, sinners, but the heart is good."

-Linnea Crowther

(Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)