Pope Francis dies at 88, Vatican confirms

Pope Francis an energetic reformer who inspired widespread devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists died on Monday aged 88The Argentine pontiff leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013 spent 38 days being treated for double pneumonia at Romes Gemelli hospital before seeming to recover and leaving the facility on March 23His death came just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance on the balcony at Saint Peters BasilicaDearest brothers and sisters it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channelThis morning at 735 am 0535 GMT the Bishop of Rome Francis returned to the home of the FatherHis entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His churchHis death sets in motion centuriesold traditions that will culminate in the gathering of a conclave of cardinals to choose a successorIn the meantime the daytoday running of the tiny Vatican City state will be handled by the camerlengo a senior cardinal currently Dublinborn Kevin FarrellFrancis whose real name was Jorge Bergoglio was the first Jesuit to lead the worlds almost 14 billion Catholics and the first from the AmericasHe took over after Benedict XVI became the first pontiff since the Middle Ages to step down and cut a sharply different figure from the German theologianA footballloving former archbishop of Buenos Aires who was often happiest among his flock Francis sought to forge a more open and compassionate churchHe strongly defended social justice the rights of migrants and the environment while also pushing through governance reforms and tackling the scourge of clerical sex abuse of childrenBut critics accused him of creating doctrinal confusion and failing to defend traditional Catholic beliefs on key issues such as abortion and divorceFranciss desire to chart a different path was evident right to the end with his decision to be buried not in St Peters Basilica but in Romes Santa Maria Maggiore basilicaHe will become the first pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the VaticanFrancis also rejected the tradition of popes having three coffins instead choosing to buried in just one made of wood and zinc to reflect his role as a humble pastorHealth issues Francis had left open the possibility of stepping down if he felt unable to do his job following the example of Benedict who quit citing his ailing healthBut he insisted for years that time had not yet come and maintained a busy schedule right up to hosting the prime minister of Slovakia shortly before his hospital admissionFrancis who had part of his lung removed as a young man was visibly breathless in the days before going to the Gemelli delegating aides to read his homilies at public audiencesQuestions will now be asked whether the pontiff known for being stubborn and refusing to take rest should have been admitted to hospital earlierEven after he was released from hospital and ordered to rest for two months Francis did not wait long before making public appearancesHe had been hospitalised with a respiratory infection in March 2023 That same year he also underwent surgery for a hernia and in 2021 he had colon surgeryHe suffered knee pain that required him to use a wheelchair and had fallen twice in recent monthsYet he never took a day off and made frequent trips abroad including a fournation AsiaPacific tour only last SeptemberHuge crowds gathered wherever he went a testament to his popularity and human touch which saw him finish his Sunday Angelus prayer each week urging followers to pray for him and to have a good lunchWho am I to judge When Francis took over the Catholic Church was mired in infighting and beset by a global scandal over clerical sex abuse of children and decades of coverupsHe promised an end to impunity and changed Vatican law to help tackle abuse though victims said he could have gone furtherMore widely he initiated a major shakeup of the Vaticans powerful governing body including improving financial responsibility and allowing lay Catholics to lead Vatican officesThroughout his papacy Francis championed the poor and vulnerable and emphasised love over doctrineIf someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will then who am I to judge him he said at the start of his papacyHowever his detractors accused him of failing to uphold established Church doctrine and his final months were marked by increasingly outspoken attacks by senior cardinalsTensions with conservative Catholics marked the Synod congress that met at the Vatican at the end of 2023 part of a yearslong global consultation on the future of the church that Francis now leaves unfinishedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params