Argentina Pope Francis is dead
Pope Francis is dead. According to the Vatican, the head of the Roman Catholic Church died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. He had been hospitalized for 38 days in the spring due to pneumonia. He had recently returned to his residence in the Vatican. On Easter Sunday, he gave the Urbi et Orbi blessing in front of tens of thousands of faithful. He already appeared very weak.
21.04.2025, 10:16
SDA
"This morning at 7.35 a.m., the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father," the Vatican said in a statement. "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his Church." Francis was at the head of around 1.4 billion Catholics around the world for more than a decade. He was also Bishop of Rome and head of state of the Vatican.
The Argentinian-born Pope - whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio - had been in office since March 2013. At that time, he was elected to succeed the German Pope Benedict XVI following his surprise resignation, the first non-European to do so in more than 1,200 years. For a long time, Francis had the Pope Emeritus at his side in the Vatican: Benedict XVI - whose real name was Joseph Ratzinger - died in 2022 at the age of 95.
Conclave elects new pope
Another conclave will soon be held in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. This is how the Catholic Church, with its more than two millennia of history, determines the next pope. Cardinals from all over the world are eligible to vote as long as they have not reached the age of 80. Francis' successor will be the 267th pontiff. According to Catholic custom, there will be a nine-day period of mourning beforehand, the so-called Novendiale. State guests from all over the world are expected to attend the funeral.
Francis had been ailing for some time: in summer 2021, he had to undergo intestinal surgery. He also suffered from a knee condition, which is why he was usually in a wheelchair for public appointments. In spring 2023, he was treated in hospital for severe pneumonia. A few weeks later, he underwent open abdominal surgery under general anesthesia.
Admonisher of peace
Despite this, Francis continued to speak regularly on church issues and global politics until the end. In the fall of 2024, he brought one of his major projects to a close: the World Synod, a kind of global review of the Catholic Church, in which women were also involved for the first time. However, this did not result in any concrete reforms. He was able to implement other projects, such as a new constitution for the Vatican.
His time in office also saw numerous sexual abuse scandals in various dioceses around the world. In response, the Pope set up commissions to investigate and prevent these. Throughout the years, Francis was a very popular pope and a great admonisher. He tried to focus on the weak and marginalized through deeds and speeches. He also stood up for refugees.
Son of Italian immigrants
The son of Italian immigrants, he was born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936 and initially trained as a chemical technician. He then joined a Jesuit order. He was ordained a priest in 1969 and became a bishop in 1992. In the mid-1980s, he lived in Germany for a few months to write a doctoral thesis, which he did not complete. In 2001, John Paul II made him a cardinal.
At the 2005 conclave, the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires was defeated by Ratzinger. After his election eight years later, he jokingly presented himself as the Pope from the "end of the world". In choosing his name, the Jesuit followed in the tradition of Francis of Assisi. The founder of the Franciscan order of mendicants is still revered today as the "patron saint of the poor". Francis was much more modest than many of his predecessors and often dispensed with ostentation.
Modesty and humility
Unlike the more reserved and conservative Benedict, Francis generated enthusiasm among the faithful on his many trips abroad. Some masses were attended by more than a million people. Last fall, he spent another twelve days in the Pacific region. He made modesty and humility the focus of his preaching and actions. He criticized indifference and also a tendency to want to amass even more money and influence at the expense of weaker people.
Francis came across as a great reformer but, in the opinion of many, fell short of expectations. Celibacy, for example, could be abolished at some point, he said. Ultimately, however, he did not change anything. In countless speeches, Francis emphasized the role of women in the church - but he refused to ordain them as priests. Under Francis, the Vatican has also repeatedly put the brakes on reforms by the German bishops.
Criticism from conservative cardinals
Some conservative church leaders openly criticized Francis' pontificate. There has also been speculation for years about his resignation, mainly due to his health problems, following the example of his German predecessor. The Argentinian wanted no part of such speculation.
It will now be interesting to see in which direction the next Pope will steer the Catholic Church. It is quite possible that Francis' theological and social ideas will be pursued further: Of the more than 130 cardinals entitled to vote in the conclave, he personally selected significantly more than half of them.
Vicar of Christ on earth
According to Catholic doctrine, the Pope is the successor of the Apostle Paul and the representative of Jesus Christ on earth. The official title is: "Bishop of Rome, Governor of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Head of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God".
According to the Gospel of Matthew, the first Pope Peter was appointed directly by Jesus with the words: "You are Peter, the rock. On this rock I will build my church." According to tradition, Peter then went to Rome, where he was crucified as a martyr. St. Peter's Basilica was built on the hill with his presumed grave. Popes are also usually buried there. However, Francis chose the Roman church of Santa Maria Maggiore as his final resting place.
