Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88.
The Vatican shared the news on social media platform X, saying he passed away in his residence this morning.
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Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he became the first Latin American pope on March 13, 2013. He led the Church for over a decade.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell made the announcement on Vatican TV, saying:
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with deep sadness I announce the death of our Holy Father, Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome returned to the house of the Father.”
Pope Francis had recently been battling a serious lung infection but had shown signs of recovery.
Throughout his time as pope, he was both praised and criticized. Some conservatives felt he changed too much, while progressives wished he had done more to modernize the Church.
His death marks the end of a historic and impactful papacy.