Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at his home in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
At 9:45 AM, from the Casa Santa Marta, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, solemnly announced the passing of Pope Francis:
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I announce the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome departed this life and returned to the Father’s embrace. His life was a testament to his tireless devotion to God and His Church. Through his unwavering commitment to the Gospel, he demonstrated courage, compassion, and a special concern for the poor and marginalized. With great gratitude for his life and witness, we now commend his soul to God’s infinite mercy.”
Later that day, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed that Pope Francis’ body would be moved to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, for public viewing and prayer. Details regarding this transition will be finalized and shared following the first meeting of the College of Cardinals, scheduled for Tuesday.
The official rite confirming the Pope’s death and placing his body in the coffin was conducted Monday evening at 8:00 PM in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta. The ceremony, led by Cardinal Farrell, lasted just under an hour. In line with Vatican tradition, papal apartments in both the Apostolic Palace and Casa Santa Marta were sealed shortly afterward.
As the evening progressed, members of the late Pope’s inner circle began offering their final respects, according to Bruni.
The first General Congregation of Cardinals will convene Tuesday morning, during which funeral arrangements, including the date, are expected to be confirmed.
Pope Francis was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on February 14, after experiencing persistent bronchitis. On February 18, his condition worsened, and he was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. Following 38 days in the hospital, he returned to Casa Santa Marta to recover.
Respiratory problems had affected him for much of his life. At age 21, he underwent surgery in Argentina to remove part of a lung due to a severe infection. In recent years, these issues recurred, and in November 2023, he canceled a planned visit to the UAE due to influenza and inflammation.
In April 2024, Pope Francis approved an updated version of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the liturgical guide for papal funerals, which will now be used for his own. Among the changes is a new protocol designating the chapel, rather than the room of death, as the place where the death is officially confirmed, and requiring the Pope’s body to be immediately placed into the coffin.
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, noted that Pope Francis had personally requested a simpler funeral focused on Christian hope in the resurrection.
“This renewed rite,” said Ravelli, “highlights that the Pope’s funeral is not a political or royal event, but a pastoral celebration of a servant and follower of Christ.”