Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican says in a video statement.
“At 7:35 [05:35 GMT] this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced.
The Argentinian leader of the Roman Catholic Church had suffered various ailments in his 12-year papacy.
The College of Cardinals, comprised of senior Catholic clergy, will elect the next pope.
- These are the saints named by Pope Francis
The figure includes the Martyrs of Otranto, residents of a southern Italian city slain by Ottoman troops in 1480. The Vatican says they numbered about 800.
He beatified more than 1,350 people. Beatification is the last step before sainthood.
- Who is Cardinal Kevin Farrell?
Cardinal Kevin Farrell was born on September 2, 1947, in Dublin, Ireland.
After high school, he attended the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He holds a licentiate in philosophy and theology from the University of St. Thomas in Rome.
He entered the Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1966 and was ordained a priest on December 24, 1978.
Farrell then served as chaplain of the Regnun Christi Movement at the University of Monterrey in Mexico.
Since 1983, he exercised his pastoral ministry in the parish of St. Bartholomew in Bethesda, in Washington. The next year, he was incardinated in the archdiocese of Washington.
On March 6, 2007 he was appointed as bishop of Dallas.
On August 15, 2016, Pope Francis called him to serve in the Roman Curia, as prefect of the new Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life.
On February 14, 2019, Pope Francis nominated him camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
On September 20, 2020, the pope appointed him as president of the Commission for Confidential Matters.
On June 2, 2023, Francis appointed him as president of the Vatican City State Supreme Court.
- Who is the camerlengo?
He runs administrative and financial duties of the Holy See until a new pope takes over.
The largely ceremonial job of camerlengo is currently held by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Irish-born American head of the Vatican’s laity office.
- Here’s what other world leaders have said about Pope Francis’s death
“Throughout the years of his pontificate, [the pope] actively promoted the development of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as constructive cooperation between Russia and the Holy See,” Putin said in a message to Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
For his part, Britain’s King Charles III said his wife and him were “deeply saddened” to learn of pontiff’s death.
“Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry,” Charles said in a statement.
Indian Prime Minister Narednra Modi said Pope Francis will “always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world”.
“He diligently served the poor and downtrodden, Modi said, adding that the pontiff “ignited a spirit of hope” for those who were suffering.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr described Pope Francis as the “best pope in my lifetime”, as he expressed deep sorrow over his passing.
“A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” Marcos said.
- Who was Pope Francis?
Remember, this is a men-only club. Roman Catholicism still doesn’t allow women anywhere near its highest positions. But might this finally be the first time in well over 1,000 years that the job goes to an African or Asian?
Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana has long been considered eligible. And he still is despite unexpectedly resigning as head of the Vatican’s peace and justice office in 2021 amid an internal investigation into its management.
Also in the running is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines. The Catholic media sometimes call him the “Asian Francis” because of the esteem he was shown by the pope.
Of course, there are plenty of white men in the mix too. And people have been speculating about a Black or Asian pope for a long time.
Another significant issue is what kind of pope we can expect. Pope Francis was very successful at inducting new cardinals. In fact, two-thirds of the men eligible to elect the next pope were named by Francis.
So regardless of what the next pope looks like, the Roman Catholic Church is changing. It’s becoming less metropolitan and less European. Looking to the future, the Global South and its multiple different perspectives will have increasing sway.
- What is Francis’s legacy on sex abuse by Catholic clergy?
“It was already there when he arrived. It wasn’t something that he created, and he took a lot of action. At one point, in fact, he said, ‘I got it wrong,’” Valero told Al Jazeera.
“He went to Chile and he seemed to be close to a bishop who had been involved in some abusive issues. And he apologised to the world, and he said, ‘I got it wrong. I didn’t understand it.’
“And then he called the head of the Catholic Church in each country to Rome and had a meeting there in 2019, where he went through the whole thing, to take firm action,” Valero said.
Still, “what Pope Francis did is only a work in progress,” he added.
- When will Pope Francis’s funeral be held?
These include the confirmation of death in the pontiff’s home, the transfer of his coffin to St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, a funeral Mass and burial.
Interment must take place between the fourth and sixth day after his death.
The dean of the College of Cardinals summons the cardinals for the funeral, presiding at the Mass before the conclave begins.
That position is currently held by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the retired head of the Vatican’s office for bishops.
After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali”.
During this period, the cardinals arrive in Rome. The conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the “sede vacante” is declared although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.
- Pope Francis was a staunch defender ‘of Palestinian self-determination and justice’
“From a diplomatic perspective, he tried to have influence in the region as he did several visits to Arab countries,” Abu Eid told Al Jazeera, adding that the most famous picture of the pontiff was him standing by the Israeli wall that separates Jerusalem from Bethlehem.
“This was an incredible moment for so many people. I was there, and it was not part of the programme. It was his decision to stop by the wall. He just walked peacefully, and all looked how he stood by and prayed in a place that then became a pilgrimage site in Bethlehem,” he said.
“He kept the same position that [Pope] John Paul II had when the wall started to be built, where he said the Holy Land needed bridges and not walls. That was repeated by Pope Francis, who stood heavily for the right of the Palestinian people for self-determination,” he added.
- What is a papal conclave?
So when will the papal conclave start?
It usually happens two or three weeks after the death or resignation of the sitting pope. This allows for a nine-day mourning period and for cardinals to make their way to the Vatican from around the world.
The 2013 conclave that elected Francis began just 12 days after the resignation of his predecessor, Benedict XVI.
- More world leaders hail pontiff’s legacy
Milei, who previously clashed with the pope but patched things up after taking office, praised his focus on interreligious dialogue, building up spirituality among the young and his focus on cost-cutting in the Vatican.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk paid tribute to the late pontiff, describing him as “a good, warm and sensitive man. May he rest in peace.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the pope would be mourned by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. “Today the prayers of more than a billion people, of all nations and every walk of life, go with Pope Francis to his rest,” he added.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Francis left a legacy of “compassion, justice and interfaith harmony”.
Dissanayake, who leads the Buddhist-majority South Asian nation of 22 million people, said the pope’s “unwavering commitment to peace, compassion and humanity has left an indelible mark on the world”.
- Pope Francis’s last appearance
Too weak to give his full traditional Easter message, the 88-year-old briefly appeared on the main balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to greet the crowd and rode through St Peter’s Square in his popemobile.
