Pope Francis has died at the age of 88 years, the Vatican announced on Monday.

His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released by the Vatican.

The pontiff, who was Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, became pope in 2013 after his predecessor Benedict XVI resigned.

His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released by the Vatican.

He said: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.

“At 7.35am this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire 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 marginalised.

“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 One and Triune God.”

The process of choosing a new pope, called a conclave, usually takes place 15 to 20 days after a pope dies.

Recent hospital visits

In recent years, his papacy had been marked by several hospital visits and concerns about his health.

On 14 February, the Pope was admitted to hospital for bronchitis treatment.

In the days that followed, the Vatican said he had been diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and that he had blood transfusions after tests revealed he had low levels of platelets in his blood, which is associated with anaemia.

On 22 February, it said the Pope was in a critical condition after a “prolonged respiratory crisis” that required a high flow of oxygen, and the next day the Vatican said Francis was showing an “initial, mild” kidney failure.

In the following days, thousands of faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square to pray for his recovery, as others went to the Rome hospital where he was staying to leave flowers and cards.

He remained in hospital for the rest of the month, with doctors saying that his condition remained “complex”.

On 6 March, his voice was heard for the first time since being admitted to hospital in an audio message, in which he thanked well-wishers, before adding: “I am with you from here.”

On Sunday, he greeted crowds at the Easter Sunday Service, a day after meeting US vice president JD Vance.

His 38-day stay in the hospital concluded on March 23, when he made his first public appearance in five weeks from a balcony at Gemelli, where he smiled and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd below.

On his way back to the Vatican, he made an unexpected visit to his favorite basilica before starting a two-month period of rest and recovery as advised by his doctors.

The medical team indicated that Francis would have access to supplemental oxygen and round-the-clock medical assistance as necessary. They noted that while the pneumonia had been effectively treated, the pope would need to continue taking oral medication for an extended period to address the fungal infection in his lungs, along with ongoing respiratory and physical therapy.

Francis, who was born in 1936, is the first pope to come from South America. During his tenure as pope, Francis has focused on helping people who are escaping conflict and famine, along with those who are struggling with poverty. earning him the title the “People’s Pope”.

In 2016, he washed the feet of refugees from different religions at an asylum centre outside Rome in a “gesture of humility and service”.

He also made his views known on a wide range of issues, from climate change to wealth inequality and the role of women in the Catholic Church.

His acceptance of the LGBTQ community was unprecedented – beginning with an unexpected remark to reporters on a flight back from Brazil about gay clergy.

He said: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge them?”

However, in April 2024 he appeared to reiterate the Vatican’s staunch opposition to gender reassignment, surrogacy, abortion and euthanasia, by signing the text “Dignitas Infinita” (Infinite Dignity).

In the same year, his own liberal credentials were questioned after reports he used a homophobic slur behind closed doors.

Pope’s health in recent years

As a young man in his native Argentina, Francis had part of one lung removed.

In the last few years of his life, Francis needed a wheelchair or a cane to get around and limited his public speaking while struggling with bronchitis and flu.

Francis first spent time in hospital as pope in 2021 for an operation to remove part of his colon.

In June 2023 he was admitted to hospital for an operation on his intestine. At the time, the Vatican said he had been suffering “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms caused by an abdominal hernia.

His recent health issues meant he was forced to miss significant events in the Roman Catholic calendar, including the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum last year.

In 2022, he hinted that he could resign if his health worsened, especially after being photographed in a wheelchair due to mobility challenges linked to a sciatica flare-up, a condition that results in leg pain.

His predecessor, the late Benedict XVI, made history in 2013 by becoming the first pope to resign in over 600 years, choosing not to serve for life, and he passed away in 2022.

The Pope was original name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio and he had previously held the position of bishop in Buenos Aires.

Approximately 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide will mourn the loss of Pope Francis.