Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, dead at 88 after months-long battle with pneumonia

Pope Francis died Monday morning. He was 88.

The Vatican confirmed the head of the Catholic Church’s passing after a months-long pneumonia battle.

“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell wrote of the pope, whose real name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

“At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” the statement continued. “His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized,” Farrell added.

The statement concluded, “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the Triune God.”

Francis became the 266th pope in March 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation.

He, notably, was the first first Latin American and first Jesuit elected to the papacy.

Earlier this month, Francis returned to the Vatican after being hospitalized for a “complex” lung infection in February.

He previously battled life-threatening pneumonia at age 21, during which part of his lung was removed.

Francis, who was living in his native Argentina at the time, has since been susceptible to respiratory infections.

He was hospitalized in March 2023 for bronchitis but recovered and returned to the Vatican by Easter the following month.

Some of the last photographs released of the pope show him meeting with King Charles III and Queen Camilla just three days after his discharge from the hospital.

Vice President JD Vance visited Francis on Easter Sunday at his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta.

The selection process for a new pope — known as conclave — will occur 15 to 20 days after Francis’ death.