VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and Latin American pope, who transformed the tone of the Vatican with messages of compassion, humility, and inclusion, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His passing marks the end of a deeply consequential papacy that reshaped the global Catholic Church.
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis died peacefully at 7:35 a.m. local time, just hours after delivering a brief but emotionally charged Easter message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica — his final public appearance. The Pope had been in declining health following years of illness and hospitalizations, the most recent being a five-week stay due to bronchitis and kidney complications.
A Papacy Rooted in Service
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis rose from humble beginnings to become the 266th pope in 2013. He was the first non-European pope in over 1,300 years and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. From the outset, he declared his intent to build “a poor Church for the poor,” rejecting the grandeur of the Apostolic Palace to live in modest quarters and famously choosing a small Fiat as his Papal car.
His papacy was marked by a shift in tone rather than doctrine — emphasizing mercy, justice, and inclusion over condemnation. He softened the Church’s stance on LGBTQ+ individuals, welcomed climate science into theological discussion, and challenged global leaders to address poverty and the refugee crisis.
Canadian Connections: A Historic Visit and Reconciliation
For Canadians, Pope Francis’s 2022 apology for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system was a watershed moment. His visit to Maskwacis, Alberta, and his emotional plea for forgiveness deeply resonated with Indigenous communities and many in Thunder Bay and across Northwestern Ontario, where residential school legacies remain present.
“We’ve heard from survivors in Thunder Bay who say the Pope’s visit was healing — though only a first step,” said local faith leaders at the time.
A Fighter to the End
Despite deteriorating health that left him largely in a wheelchair since 2022, Francis remained active until the very end. He continued international travel, delivered homilies, and even made nightly video calls to the Catholic parish in Gaza during the ongoing humanitarian crisis. “Even from his hospital bed, he reminded us that leadership is service,” said Rev. Gabriel Romanelli of Gaza’s Holy Family parish.
The Pope’s final days included a fleeting meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his last Easter mass. In one of his last public messages, Francis wrote: “From here, war appears even more absurd. Let us pray for tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Kivu.”
What Comes Next
His burial, at his request, will break with tradition. Rather than being interred beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, Francis chose the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a symbol of his devotion to Mary and simplicity.
With 110 of the 138 cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave appointed by Francis, the Church is poised to select a successor who may continue his progressive pastoral legacy. There is growing speculation that the next pope could hail from Asia or Africa — regions where Catholicism remains vibrant and growing.
