Pope Francis Dies Day After Easter at 88

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church for the last 12 years, died Monday morning at the age of 88.

Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease, had been battling complications from a double pneumonia that hospitalized him for more than a month earlier this year.

He made his last public appearance a day before his death on Easter Sunday, when he blessed thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square. He also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance before the event.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell made the announcement of the pope’s death from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived. Bells tolled in church towers across Rome afterward.

“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,″ Farrell said. “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized. 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 God, One and Tribune.″

Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first pope born or raised outside of Europe in over 1,000 years. 

There are an estimated 1.375 billion Catholics around the world, including about 52 million in the U.S.

The College of Cardinals will soon meet to elect a new pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote.  

While any baptized male could be elected pope, the last time the college of cardinals elected someone outside their ranks was in 1378. So, the next pope is expected to be one of the current members of the college of cardinals.