Pope Francis dies after prolonged illness: Vatican
The first Latin American pope has died at 88 after 12 years of leadership marked by reform efforts and health struggles.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday, ending an often turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.
“At 7:35 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 said in the announcement.
He suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis" associated with thrombocytopenia, according to a previous Vatican statement.
Francis was born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents.
He studied in Argentina and later in Germany before being ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969.
Over a decade into his papacy, Pope Francis remained a figure of admiration and controversy.
He sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, tackle corruption, and address some of the Church’s most pressing challenges.
While he had been hailed for his humility and commitment to social justice, his leadership had also drawn sharp resistance from conservatives within the Church and beyond.