Pope Francis passes away at 88, Vatican set for transition
According to rumors circulating in the Vatican, Pope Francis passed away due to a stroke, reports the Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera." In the coming hours, the Holy See is expected to issue an official statement confirming the cause of death.
The Vatican press office has announced the death of Pope Francis. The Holy Father passed away on Monday at 7:35 AM at the age of 88. He died while recovering from a severe case of pneumonia, a day after attending the Urbi et Orbi blessing to greet the faithful.
Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 after experiencing several days of breathing difficulties. There, he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. Tests also revealed mild initial kidney failure.
His condition gradually deteriorated. He suffered a prolonged respiratory crisis, requiring oxygen therapy and a blood transfusion.
The Pope spent over a month (37 days) in the hospital. He was discharged on Sunday, March 23.
He was Pope for 12 years
Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013, after Benedict XVI resigned from his office on February 28 of that year.
Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, upon accepting his role as the successor of St. Peter, chose the name Francis. This was a declaration from the Pope, indicating that, like St. Francis of Assisi, he wished to be a man of peace and poverty, who loves creation. A testament to this stance was his first apostolic pilgrimage to Lampedusa, Italy, which has faced an influx of thousands of illegal migrants for many years.
