Main Points
- Pope Francis has died aged 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
- Pope Francis suffered from chronic lung disease and had been admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14th for a respiratory illness that developed into double pneumonia.
- Archbishop Eamon Martin said Pope Francis showed ‘immense courage and serenity in the face of frailty and suffering’
- President Michael D Higgins expressed his “profound sadness”, saying Pope Francis’s voice constituted a “consistent invocation of a shared humanity”.
- Who will be the next pope after Francis and how does the process work? Read Patsy McGarry’s explainer.
Best Reads
- Obituary: Outsider pope who championed those at the margins
- Pope Francis: A life in pictures
- Justine McCarthy: Pope Francis put women on a pedestal, where they could do no harm
Bishop of Achonry and Elphin Kevin Doran has said Pope Francis carried out his duties with “courage and humility,” while his sense of humour was “very evident to those who met him.”
Bishop Doran said “volumes” will be written about his papacy in the future adding that he was “always ready to teach what the Church believes, but he called on Catholics to think it through rather than just accepting or rejecting it at face value.”
“One of my abiding own memories of him was when I was with the other Irish Bishops at a meeting with him during our Ad Limina visit.
After an hour of listening and responding to us, he got up and walked towards the other end of the room, coming back with a bottle of water and a glass, saying quietly under his breath, ‘the poor translator has no water’,” Bishop Doran said.
Francis was ‘devoted to his work’ until the very end
After spending more than five weeks in hospital for a bout of double pneumonia, doctors told Pope Francis he needed two months’ rest - but the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics kept working right to the end.
On Easter Sunday, the day before his death aged 88, Francis made his first prolonged public appearance since February, entering St Peter’s Square in a white popemobile to greet cheering crowds.
On Monday, crowds are gathering in the same location to mourn his passing.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official who was close to Francis, said: “Absolute rest isn’t healing,” adding: “He balanced convalescence with his being the Bishop of Rome.”
Mr Czerny said the pope was devoted to his work leading the world’s Catholics.
Citing an instruction Francis often gave Catholic bishops to make sure they were close to their flocks, Czerny said: “He died with the smell of the sheep on him.”
Austen Ivereigh, a biographer of Francis who also wrote a book with the pope in 2020, said the pontiff “listened carefully to his doctors’ advice but his first priority was his mission of presence.”
Francis, said Ivereigh, was “a master of timing”.
“He made sure we had a pope for Easter and kept up his mission of presence to the last,” said the biographer.
The Vatican has not given details about the pope’s cause of death. During his time in hospital, he suffered severe breathing crises, which his doctors later said had nearly killed him. - Reuters
Cathedral bells ring out 88 times as people pay respects in Armagh
As the bells at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh rang out 88 times to signify each year of Pope Francis’s life, inside young and old sat in silent reflection to mark the death of the pontiff.
One of those who came to pay respects was local man Patrick Douglas.
He travelled to the Knock Shrine in Co Mayo in 2018 to see Pope Francis, just as he had journeyed to Galway in 1979 when Pope John Paul II had visited Ireland.
“It’s just lovely to come up here to the cathedral today,” he said.
“Just to light a candle and say a prayer.”
Claire and Barry O’Neill came to the church with their children, Clara and Ben Óg, and nephew Conan McGerr.
The family had been away on holiday for a few days in Carlingford, Co Louth and decided to divert to the cathedral on their way home to Moneymore in Co Derry.
“He was a man that changed the world,” said Mrs O’Neill.
“He wanted to make a difference, no matter what you were, to guide everybody, whatever your faith is, just to bring everybody together.
“He was very humble, very empowering.”
Mrs O’Neill said it had been an uplifting experience to be in the cathedral on such a day.
“Everybody’s here to pay their respects to a really nice man,” she added. - PA
Catholics around the world mourn ‘humble’ Pope Francis
Members of the 1.4 billion-member global Catholic community expressed grief on Monday at the death of Pope Francis, many praising him as a humble man who stood up for the marginalised.
At the Vatican, tourists and pilgrims there for Holy Week were dazed at the pontiff’s demise the morning after he had driven in his open-topped popemobile through crowds on Easter Sunday.
“He appeared in public yesterday, looked healthy. I was so shocked, and sad of course,” said Father Bachai, a retired priest from the United States.
In Francis’s homeland Argentina, where he once served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, people woke up to the news.
“It hurts me like crazy, it hurts me a lot because I agreed – more than anything – with his words in support of bisexuals, and homosexuals,” Buenos Aires resident Nicolas Cordoba said, noting Francis’s welcoming approach to members of the LGBT+ community.
Dozens of churchgoers gathered for a Mass in Buenos Aires cathedral on Monday.
“The truth is, I wasn’t surprised. He was clearly very ill. I think he made a great effort to make it to Easter, which is the great festival for Christians,” Jorgelina Ventura, a 53-year-old lawyer, said. - Reuters
Jewish community ‘joins the Catholic Church in mourning’
Maurice Cohen, chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, said the Jewish community “joins the Catholic Church in mourning the loss of His Holiness the Pope, a steadfast shepherd and a bridge-builder among faiths”.
“His dedication to interreligious dialogue and mutual respect helped sow seeds of understanding between our traditions,” Mr Cohen said in a statement.
“In this solemn hour, we affirm our solidarity and our shared hope for a world guided by faith, dignity, and peace.”
Varadkar says ‘the world is less today’ after pope’s death
Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Francis was the “pope who brought many who felt remote from the Catholic Church a little bit closer to it”.
“He welcomed gay couples and their families and focused on social justice over doctrine. The world is less today for his passing,” Mr Varadkar said in a post on Instagram.
Trump says US flag will fly at half-mast as ‘mark of respect’
US president Donald Trump has joined world leaders in expressing his condolences over the pope’s death.
Speaking at an event at the White House, Mr Trump said Francis “was a good man, worked hard”.
“He loved the world, and it’s an honour to do that.”
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said the American flag would be flown at half-mast at the White House, public buildings and grounds, and all military posts and naval stations “as a mark of respect”.
Obama says Francis made us ‘want to be better people’
Former US president Barack Obama said Pope Francis “was the rare leader who made us want to be better people”.
“In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another."
Save the Children ‘deeply saddened’ by death of Pope Francis
A spokesperson for Save the Children has said the UK-based charity is “deeply saddened by the death of Pope Francis, who tirelessly advocated for children and young people throughout his pontificate”.
“As conflicts unfolded across the world, Pope Francis was unwavering in his calls for humanitarian law to be respected, and for schools and hospitals to be protected amid the fighting.
“At Save the Children, we were moved by his passionate dedication to justice and peace, as evidenced most recently in his Easter message which called for an end to wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Our thoughts are with all those who were inspired by his teachings and example.”
Rónán Mullen says Pope Francis will ‘continue to inspire and challenge us all’
Senator Rónán Mullen, who met Pope Francis a number of times when attending the annual Catholic legislators’ network meeting in Rome, said he was “deeply impressed” in recent years by the fact the late pontiff “insisted on meeting all present even when he was clearly tired and struggling”.
“His unambiguous championing of the dignity of every human life from its beginning to the natural end, his love for the poor and those ‘on the peripheries’ in every way, his emphasis on God’s tender mercy and his concern for all of creation, will continue to inspire and challenge us all,” Mr Mullen said.
Meanwhile, Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, said Catholics must now “give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of Pope Francis as shepherd of the people of God and we thank God for his selfless service and dedication to the end of his earthly life”.
“We remember Pope Francis as one who challenged us to reach out to those on the margins and to bring God’s mercy to all those we encounter.”
Speaking at a press conference in Armagh, Archbishop Martin said Francis “didn’t shy away from tackling the awful trauma of abuse and the impact of those terrible sins and crimes by people acting in the name of the church”.
Francis garnered ‘respect, warmth and love like no other’, priests say
The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has joined those paying tribute to the late pope.
“Inevitably, in the first rush of grief, we can over-egg the significance of the deaths of those who carry our hopes and dreams of the future,” the ACP said in a statement.
However, the group added that, since the death of Pope John XXIII during the Second Vatican Council, no pope has garnered the same level of respect, warmth and love as Francis.
The ACP described the late pontiff as “a man who captivated the world with his humanity and mediated the Gospel of Jesus through kindness, gentleness, mercy and, above all, through the hope he lived and represented in our world and in our Church”.
Taoiseach would be ‘honoured’ to attend funeral of Pope Francis
Pope Francis was a pontiff who lived the Gospel and got the fundamentals right in urging people to cease conflict and war, and to promote peace everywhere he went, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.
Giving his first public reaction to the death of the pope, the Taoiseach said the people of Ireland valued his leadership and his humility.
“He was a voice for the voiceless, the marginalised, the poor, the migrants. In a world which is turbulent, and where there has been shocking conflict, I think he was a very pure voice of love and mercy,” said Mr Martin.
The Taoiseach, who was speaking at Fairyhouse Race Course on Monday, said the dignity of every human being was central to Pope Francis’s philosophy.
Asked about his the legacy of his Papacy for Ireland, Mr Martin referred to the manner in which Pope Francis had dealt with sexual abuse in Institutions which had been run by Catholic orders in the State .
“II think he did deal with the issues of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, and acknowledge his own feelings in that regard. And in many ways, his non judgmental approach to life itself made him enabled him to deal with these issues, perhaps ultimately, more effectively than maybe others.”
Asked had he done enough, Mr Martin said that the Pope had himself said at another time he had not responded as sufficiently as he could have in relation to some of those issues affecting the Catholic Church.
“I think overall, he will be remembered as someone who cared deeply about each individual and was particularly hurt by the wrongs that were committed by members of the Church on people, particularly young children,” he said.
He said the Pope Francis had to be commended for the work he had done to raise awareness on climate change and also calling “the shocking killing of innocent people in Gaza, and indeed the war in Ukraine.”
Mr Martin also said he would be honoured to go to the funeral of the pope but added that “all the arrangements have to be worked out”.
The pope’s final day: Greeting crowds, meeting Vance
Pope Francis had a busy final day celebrating Easter Sunday, greeting crowds in St Peter’s Square and meeting US vice-president JD Vance.
He emerged from his convalescence on Sunday morning to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City, treating them to a surprise popemobile drive through the piazza.
The 88-year-old stopped occasionally to bless babies taken up to him, and said: “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter.”
The pontiff had delegated the celebration of the Easter Mass to another cardinal but after it ended, he appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes as the Urbi et Orbi blessing was imparted.
On his way to the basilica, Francis briefly met Mr Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family.
The pope received Mr Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he lived and offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Mr Vance’s three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.
Francis had only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican on March 23rd, after a 38-day hospital stay after developing double pneumonia.
He missed the traditional Good Friday and Holy Saturday services as part of the Easter liturgy. – PA
Crowds gather at Dublin’s Pro Cathedral to mourn Pope Francis
People are paying their respects to Pope Francis at the Pro Cathedral in Dublin city centre.
Francis apology to church abuse survivors ‘will go down in history’
A priest who helped organise Pope Francis’s visit to Ireland in 2018 has recalled watching the pontiff compose his personal apology to victims of abuse in the Catholic Church.
Father Tim Bartlett said he did not know what the pope was writing after he asked for some paper while onboard a flight to the Knock shrine in the west of Ireland.
The Belfast-based cleric said hours later the pontiff would produce the same piece of paper as he addressed tens of thousands of people at an open-air mass in Dublin’s Phoenix Park and read out his plea for forgiveness.
During the mass, Francis vowed to pursue justice for victims of church abuse in Ireland as he sought forgiveness for the country’s dark litany of clerical crimes.
Fr Bartlett, who played a central role in coordinating the pontiff’s visit to the island in 2018, to attend the World Meeting of Families, said observing Francis pen the apology was his most vivid memory of the trip.
“The night before Pope Francis had had a long meeting with survivors of abuse, of clergy abuse and institutions run by the Church,” he said.
“He had many things after that meeting that he had to do, but on the Sunday morning on the airplane, once we were in the air, he turned around and he beckoned, and he asked for a piece of paper and I sent him up a piece of paper, and we noticed him writing on the paper at the front of the plane, and he folded up the piece of paper and put it into his pocket.
“We had no idea what it was about until later that afternoon when we were back in Dublin and we’re starting the Mass, this huge Mass in Phoenix Park, and he takes that piece of paper out of his pocket at the beginning of the Mass and he reads it, and it was an apology in his own words and straight from his heart, having met the survivors the night before, for all of the abuse that had taken place in the church and to all survivors.”
Fr Bartlett added that the apology “will go down in history as one of the most profound, eloquent and personal apologies issued by any church leader, and certainly a pope, to survivors of church abuse.” - PA
Irish archbishops to travel to Rome for funeral
During their joint press conference in Armagh on Monday afternoon, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin confirmed they both intend to travel to Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral (details of which are yet to be confirmed).
Archbishop Farrell says Francis had ‘great empathy’ for clerical abuse survivors
At a press conference in Armagh on Monday afternoon, Dublin Archbishop Dermot Farrell spoke about Pope Francis meeting survivors of clerical abuse during his trip to Ireland in 2018.
During the trip, Francis apologised to people who had experienced sexual and other abuse while in Catholic-run institutions.
Archbishop Farrell today said that Pope Francis made efforts to learn from the mistakes of the past, noting the late pontiff made the reporting of abuse mandatory within the Church
“He made mistakes in his own life, he would admit that,” Archbishop Farrell said.
He noted that Francis “was probably a harsh provincial of the Jesuits when he was in Argentina”, but “learned from those mistakes”.
When he became Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and later the Pope, Francis had “great empathy for people who have suffered in their lives”, Mr Farrell said.
He added that “nobody has suffered more than people who have personally experienced sexual abuse or found themselves in difficult situations in life”.
“It was because of that empathy that he was able to offer his apology to these people, and that’s a great mark of the man that we are mourning today,” Mr Farrell stated.
Chief Rabbi of Ireland says Francis was ‘a man of principle’
Chief Rabbi of Ireland Yoni Wieder has extended his “heartfelt condolences” to Pope Francis’s family and to Catholics in Ireland and worldwide.
Mr Wieder said Francis was “a man of principle, with a deep care for all people”.
“He was committed to making faith and spirituality relevant in the modern world.
“He unequivocally condemned antisemitism as a sin and as incompatible with true Christian faith, and he sought to strengthen the bonds between Catholic and Jewish communities.”
Archbishop Eamon Martin expresses ‘deep sadness and immense gratitude’
Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin are currently holding a press conference in Armagh.
During the event, Archbishop Martin said his heart was “filled with both deep sadness and immense gratitude” following the death of Pope Francis.
“There was something different about this pope who came to us 12 years ago from ‘the ends of the world’,” Archbishop Martin said.
“On that very first night when he stood on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, our hearts were moved as he greeted the people with a simple ‘Buonasera’ (meaning ‘good evening’ in Italian) and asked us to pray to the Lord to bless him,” Archbishop Martin said, recalling when Francis became pope in March 2013.
Mr Martin also noted Francis’s humility, adding that he often told people ‘I am a sinner’.
“He would want us to pray now for his soul as he appears before God whom he himself presented to the world as a loving and merciful God, who understands all our weaknesses and frailties, yet loves each of us deeply.”
Archbishop Martin also noted that Francis “abhorred war” and saw it as “a defeat for humanity”.
In particular, he referenced the late pontiff’s stance on the “horrific situation” in Gaza and “the plight of innocent people who are now increasingly being caught up in the horrors of war”.
Who will be the next pope after Francis and how does the process work?
In the wake of the death of Pope Francis, discussion will now turn to the next papal election, or conclave.
Speculation around who is in the running to succeed Francis comes with certain health warnings, Patsy McGarry writes.
Read his full analysis here.
Joe Biden says Pope Francis was ‘unlike any who came before him’
Former US president Joe Biden said Pope Francis was “unlike any who came before him”.
Mr Biden said Pope Francis “will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time and I am better for having known him”.
“For decades, he served the most vulnerable across Argentina and his mission of serving the poor never ceased. As Pope, he was a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached out to different faiths.”
Britain’s King Charles says Francis ‘profoundly touched the lives of so many’
King Charles, who is also the head of the Church of England, said Francis “will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others”
“His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.”
Keir Starmer praises Pope Francis’s “tireless efforts” for a fairer world
The British prime minister said he is “deeply saddened to hear of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis”.
“His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy,” Mr Starmer said in a statement.
Ursula von der Leyen says Pope Francis ‘inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church’
Ms von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said Pope Francis “inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate”.
She added that his legacy “will continue to guide us all toward a more just, peaceful and compassionate world”.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Pope Francis ‘gave hope and fostered unity’
In a post on X, the Ukrainian president said Francis “knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity”.
He expressed his condolences with Catholics and Christians worldwide.
Online Book of Condolences opens to public
The Catholic Church in Ireland has started an online Book of Condolences for people to record their sympathy on the death of Pope Francis.
People can leave messages on the Catholic Bishops website by clicking here.
Putin expresses condolences over death of Pope Francis, Kremlin says
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, the Kremlin said on Monday.
The Kremlin added that Mr Putin met the late pontiff several times and the pair treated each other with great respect.
The life and times of Pope Francis: a timeline
1936
December 17th – Jorge Mario Bergoglio is born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the son of Italian immigrants.
1969
December 13th – Ordained a priest.
1973
July 31st – Becomes head of the Jesuits in Argentina.
1992
May 20th – Appointed Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires.
1998
February 28th – Appointed Archbishop, Primate of Argentina. He becomes famous for commuting to work on public transport, not living in the archbishop’s palace and cooking his own meals.
2001
February 21st – Appointed a cardinal by pope John Paul II.
2005
April 19th – Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger elected pope after four ballots, takes the name Benedict. Subsequent leaks show that Bergoglio came second in all the secret ballots.
2013
March 13th – Bergoglio is elected pope after the shock resignation of Pope Benedict. He takes the name Francesco (Francis) and is the first non-European pope in 1,300 years.
July 8th – Makes first pastoral trip outside Rome, visiting the Italian island of Lampedusa and condemns the “globalisation of indifference” to the plight of migrants.
July 29th – During his first news conference onboard the papal plane, Francis says: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” – seen as the most conciliatory attitude to LGBT people by a pontiff.
November 26th – Calls for a deep renewal of the church in a major document (apostolic exhortation) setting out his papacy.
2014
February 24th – Creates a new body within the Vatican to co-ordinate economic and administrative affairs.
May 24th-26th – Visits the Holy Land. He becomes the first pontiff to lay a wreath at the tomb of the founder of modern Zionism. He also prays in front of the Israeli security wall that is despised by Palestinians.
2015
June 18th – Releases first papal document dedicated to the environment, the encyclical Laudato Si, urging world leaders to hear “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor”.
2016
April 8th – In a document on family life, Francis urges priests to be more accepting of divorced or remarried Catholics and to welcome single parents and LGBT people. But he rejects the notion of same-sex marriage.
June 26th – Says Christians owe apologies to LGBT community and others who have been offended or exploited by the church.
November 2nd – Tells reporters the Catholic ban on female priests is forever.
2017
January 2nd – Pope Francis says in a letter bishops must show zero tolerance to clergy who sexually abuse children. He begs forgiveness for “a sin that shames us”.
June 28th – cardinal George Pell, appointed Vatican economy minister by Francis, is charged with multiple historical sex crimes in his native Australia. He is initially convicted in December 2018, but then found not guilty in April 2020 on appeal.
July 1st – In a major shake-up, Francis replaces Catholicism’s top theologian, a conservative German cardinal who has been at odds with the pontiff’s vision of a more inclusive Church.
2018
January 30th – Just days after defending a Chilean bishop accused of sex crimes against minors, the pope sends top sexual abuse expert to Chile to investigate. In April, Francis says he made “grave mistakes” in handling the Chile crisis, asks for forgiveness.
May 18th – In an unprecedented move, all Chile’s bishops offer to resign after attending a crisis meeting with Pope Francis. In the subsequent months he accepts many of the resignations.
July 28th – Accepts resignation of US cardinal Theodore McCarrick. In February 2019, Francis expels him from the priesthood after the church finds him guilty of sexually abusing minors – the first time a cardinal has been defrocked for sexual abuse.
August 25th-26th – Visits Ireland, says church failure to adequately address “repugnant” clerical child abuse crimes in Ireland is a source of shame for Catholics. He begs forgiveness.
August 26th – A former top Vatican official, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, accuses the pope of knowing for years of sex abuse allegations against cardinal McCarrick; says Francis should resign. Months later, the Vatican accuses Vigano of calumny.
September 22nd – The Vatican signs a landmark agreement giving it a long-desired say in the appointment of bishops in China. Critics label the deal a sell-out to the Communist government.
2019
February 21st – pope opens an unprecedented four-day meeting with Catholic leaders from around the world on child sex abuse. Calls for “concrete and efficient measures” to tackle the abuse.
April 19th – Meets South Sudan’s previously warring leaders and kisses their feet. Urges them not to return to a civil war.
May 24th – Appoints women to a key Vatican department for the first time.
(In January 2020, he appoints the first woman to hold a high-ranking post in the Secretariat of State. In August 2020 he appoints six women to Vatican finance council. In November 2021 he names a woman to the number two position in the governorship of the Vatican City. In March 2022, he introduces a reform saying Catholic women could in future take charge of most departments.)
June 2nd – During a visit to Romania, the pope asks forgiveness in the name of the Catholic Church for the mistreatment of the Roma people.
2020
February 12th – In an apparent victory for conservative clergy, the pope dismisses a proposal to allow some married men to be ordained in remote areas of the Amazon.
March 7th – The pope cancels all regular public appearances because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Planned trips are also cancelled. On March 27th, he holds a solitary prayer service in the vast, empty St Peter’s Square.
September 24th – The pope fires Italian Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu from powerful Vatican post after accusing him of embezzlement and nepotism. Becciu denies wrongdoing. He is indicted for alleged financial crimes in July 2021 and is convicted in December 2023 of embezzlement and fraud and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail. He remains free pending appeal.
November 5th – Shakes up running of Vatican funds after London property scandal.
December 31st – The pope, suffering a flare-up of a sciatica condition that causes pain in his right leg, misses New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day services – the first time health problems caused him to skip major religious events.
2021
January 11th – Francis, in another step towards greater equality for women in the Roman Catholic Church, changes Church law, saying they can serve as readers at liturgies, altar servers and distributors of communion.
January 21st – A Vatican court convicts Angelo Caloia, a former head of the Vatican bank, on charges of embezzlement and money laundering, making him the highest-ranking Vatican official to be convicted of a financial crime.
March 5th – Resuming trips after the Covid crisis, Francis makes the first visit by a pontiff to Iraq.
July 4th – Has surgery to remove part of his colon, spends 11 days in hospital to recuperate.
July 16th – In blow to conservatives, Francis overturns the decisions of his two predecessors and reimposes restrictions on the old-style Latin Mass preferred by traditionalist Catholics.
October 29th – US president Joe Biden says after meeting the pope that the pontiff had told him he was a “good Catholic” who can receive communion, widening gulf with conservative prelates.
2022
February 25th – Departing from protocol, the pope visits the Russian embassy to the Vatican to relay personally his concern over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the following weeks and months he repeatedly calls for an end to the war and grows increasingly critical of Moscow for launching the invasion.
July 24th – Starts a six-day visit to Canada where he repeatedly asks forgiveness for sexual abuse at schools for indigenous children run by Catholic orders.
December 31st – Pope Benedict dies in the Vatican monastery where he had lived since his resignation in 2013.
2023
January 11th – The conservative cardinal Pell dies in Rome. It is later revealed that he had penned an anonymous 2021 memo condemning Francis’s papacy as a “catastrophe”.
March 29th – Francis is admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome with a respiratory infection.
June 7th – Francis is admitted to Gemelli hospital for an operation on his abdomen.
October 4th – The pope starts a month-long summit of bishops to discuss potentially momentous issues for the church. However, the meeting ends without taking clear stands on issues such as women deacons and welcoming the LGBT community.
November 11th – In a very rare move, Francis dismisses bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of his fiercest critics among US Catholic conservatives.
November 28th – In a further move targeting a conservative critic, Francis punishes US cardinal Raymond Burke by evicting him from a large Vatican apartment and oking his salary.
November 28th – The pope cancels a planned trip to the Cop28 climate meeting in Dubai after suffering a lung inflammation.
December 18th – The Vatican says in a landmark ruling approved by Francis that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies.
2024
June 14th – Pope Francis becomes the first pontiff to address a Group of Seven summit, telling leaders about the potential risks and benefits of artificial intelligence.
September 2nd – Starts a 12-day visit to four island nations across Southeast Asia and Oceania, travelling nearly 33,000 km (20,500 miles) in the longest trip of his papacy.
September 26th – Francis undertakes a four-day visit to Belgium and Luxembourg, where he is sharply criticised over the church’s mishandling of clergy sexual abuse cases and its treatment of women.
October 2nd – The pope starts a month-long summit of Catholic bishops at the Vatican, the second in two years. It discusses contentious issues such as women’s leadership, but the gathering ends without enacting any major reforms.
October 22nd – The Vatican extends its agreement with China over the appointment of Catholic bishops for a further four years. Conservative critics continue to label the deal a sell-out to Beijing.
December 7th – The pope appears at a ceremony in St Peter’s Basilica with a large bruise on his chin, which the Vatican says is the result of a minor fall in his residence.
December 24th – Francis opens the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, a special time of peace, forgiveness and pardon for Catholics that runs through early 2026.
2025
January 6th – Pope Francis names cardinal Robert McElroy, seen as a key progressive ally in the US, as the new archbishop of Washington, DC. The appointment comes days before president Donald Trump, whose immigration crackdown Francis criticised, retakes office.
February 6th – The Vatican says the pope is suffering from bronchitis but will keep his scheduled appointments. The pope had said the day before that he had a “strong cold”.
February 14th – The Vatican announces that the pope has been admitted to hospital for treatment of bronchitis. In later days, doctors announce he is battling double pneumonia.
March 23rd – The pope is discharged after a 38-day hospital stay.
April 20th – On Easter Sunday, the pope enters St Peter’s Square in an open-air popemobile for the first time since his serious illness, greeting tens of thousands of Catholics after the Vatican’s celebration of Easter Mass. He also has a brief private meeting at the Vatican with US vice-president JD Vance. – Reuters
The Vatican’s formal video statement announcing the death of Pope Francis can be watched below:
Religious leaders express condolences over ‘profound loss’ of Pope Francis
The leaders of the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in Ireland have expressed their condolences.
The President, Reverend Dr John Alderdice, and Lay Leader, Mrs Elaine Barnett, of the Methodist Church in Ireland extended the “sympathies and prayers of the Irish Methodist people” upon learning of the death of Pope Francis.
The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), the Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray, has written privately to Archbishop Eamon Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, on the death of Pope Francis, a statement noted.
Speaking about the death of Pope Francis, the clerk of the General Assembly and PCI’s general secretary, Reverend Dr Trevor Gribben, said: “We want to acknowledge the grief felt by many people on the island of Ireland who will be greatly saddened at this particular time, especially our Roman Catholic friends and neighbours, who mourn the death of Pope Francis, who died today.”
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chairperson of the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, also expressed his condolences.
“Pope Francis was a beacon of peace, compassion, and unity. His tireless calls for dialogue, justice, and love for one’s neighbour inspired millions around the world, transcending faith and background,” Dr Al-Qadri said in a statement.
“His humility, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to the marginalised and vulnerable made him a guiding light for humanity. His departure is a profound loss not only for the Catholic Church but for all who strive for a more just and compassionate world.”
Archbishop Eamon Martin says Francis showed ‘immense courage and serenity in the face of frailty and suffering’
Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland, said: “On behalf of the people, religious sisters and brothers, priests and bishops of Ireland I wish to express sadness and our feelings of affection and loss upon hearing of the death of the Holy Father Pope Francis this morning.
“In recent days, and since he was admitted to hospital in February, he has been showing immense courage and serenity in the face of frailty and suffering.”
Mr Martin’s statement continued: “Just yesterday, on Easter Sunday he proclaimed from the balcony in Saint Peter’s Square... reminding us that Christ is alive. Christ is risen. Christ is our hope.
“Pope Francis often said that the face of God is Mercy. In the coming days, we will remember him with thanksgiving and pray that God will have mercy on his soul and reward him for all the good work he has done.”
Trócaire says Pope Francis was ‘a voice of hope and justice’
A number of charities have also expressed their condolences with a statement from Trócaire noting that Francis “recognised the innate dignity of each person and called out injustices against the most vulnerable people in our world”.
“His was a voice of hope and justice at a time when many world leaders focused on narrow self-interest above the common good.”
The statement added that Francis’s contribution to the environmental movement was “immense”.
“The world needs more leaders like Pope Francis as we continue to stand up against the many injustices taking place around the globe.”
Labour’s Duncan Smith expresses his condolences
The party’s foreign affairs spokesperson said that Francis’s passing at Easter time “will have added poignancy for so many Catholics”.
“He will be remembered as a strong opponent of war, a powerful advocate for the world’s poor, as well as being the first Pope to call for the global decriminalisation of same-sex relationships,” Mr Smith said in a statement.
“A more detailed examination of Pope Francis’s time as head of the Catholic Church will take place in the coming days and weeks. Today we mark his passing and send our sympathies to Catholics who will be mourning all over the world.
“His papacy had a consistent global anti-poverty message which in a world that is increasingly unequal and divided, has a more significant resonance now more than ever.”
Pope Francis led a remarkable life, here is a lookback at his time in pictures.
Mary Lou McDonald says Pope Francis ‘will be remembered as a good and decent man’
Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald has expressed her “deep sadness” at the death of Pope Francis.
She said in a written statement: “For those of us who are Catholics, this is a moment of huge loss but the death of Pope Francis will also be mourned by those across the globe who respected him as a courageous spiritual leader, a man of strong conviction who stood up for those most marginalised and vulnerable.
Ms McDonald said Francis “will also be remembered for standing up for peace and justice in the face of global tension, instability and militarism - including unjust and illegal wars in Palestine, and Ukraine”.
“Even while he was in hospital, he maintained almost nightly phone calls to a parish in Gaza City and he was resolute in his solidarity with the people of Gaza.”
Ms McDonald said the papal visit to Ireland in August 2018 was “an important occasion for both Ireland and the Church”.
“At the Dublin Castle event, clerical abuse survivors, representatives from the institutional Church, government, and civic society, listened to Pope Francis acknowledge past failures and the subsequent hardship, suffering and trauma caused by clerical sex abuse, mother and baby homes, and Magdalene Laundries scandals.
“Pope Francis heard directly of the importance for healing and justice that was rightly expected and deserved by all victims and survivors.”
Ms McDonald added that Francis “will be remembered as a good and decent man who led the Catholic Church with compassion and a genuine desire to bring the light of hope in an uncertain world”.
Giorgia Meloni mourns departure of ‘a great shepherd’
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni is mourning the departure of “a great man, a great shepherd”.
“I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased not even during times of trial and suffering,” Ms Meloni said in a statement.
US vice-president JD Vance says his ‘heart goes out’ to Catholics
He said: “I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him.
“I was happy to see him yesterday (Sunday), though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the... homily he gave in the very early days of Covid. It was really quite beautiful.”
Pope Francis and JD Vance, who have disagreed publicly over Donald Trump’s administration’s attitude to immigration and its migrant deportation plans, met briefly in Rome on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings.
The meeting came a day after the US vice-president, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, met senior Vatican officials and had “an exchange of opinions” over international conflicts and immigration.
Leaders of the Church of Ireland express their condolences
The Most Reverend John McDowell, the Church of Ireland’s Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, has issued a statement:
“Pope Francis was manifestly a modest man of immovable faith who felt no need to cling frantically onto old certainties which no longer served God or His People.
“Drawing from the deep well of Scriptural resources acquired during a lifetime in the Ignatian tradition, Pope Francis was prepared to step out into a very unclear future in the company of Jesus Christ, which is ‘far better than a known way’.
“His loss will be felt very keenly throughout the Catholic world and my prayers in the coming weeks will be for all who are bereaved and diminished by the passing of a great man and a humble disciple of our common Lord, especially my brothers and sisters in Christ on the island of Ireland.”
In a separate statement, the Most Reverend Dr Michael Jackson, the Church of Ireland’s Archbishop of Dublin, added:
“I wish to express sympathy with all members of the Roman Catholic tradition in Ireland and worldwide on the death of Pope Francis who has led the Roman Catholic church since 2013 with courage and compassion, with insight and inspiration...
“I thank him for everything that he has done for worldwide Christianity and for his engagement with people of all World Faiths.
“He has stepped into areas of life where the Churches need to be and has developed new pathways of dialogue and friendship through his infectious godly humanity. He has stood with people on the margins of society and emphasised humanity’s need to care for Creation.”
Mr Jackson noted that Francis “studied for three months at the Jesuit House in Milltown, Dublin, where he endeared himself to the community by his modesty”.
“In a real and tangible way, he has a special place in our hearts by virtue of that experience.”
President Michael D Higgins expresses ‘profound sadness’
President Michael D Higgins has expressed “profound sadness” at the death, saying Francis’s voice constituted a “consistent invocation of a shared humanity”.
The pope sought to show “in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life”, said Mr Higgins.
The Irish President said he had the “privilege” of discussing at length with Francis the “vital issues of our time” and to welcome him to Áras an Uachtaráin in 2018 during his visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families.
“During his visit to Ireland, Pope Francis spoke of the scandal of child abuse, including in the church, and its consequences for victims and families. On such matters, and on others such as attitudes towards women and those of the LGBTQ+ community within the church, Pope Francis sought to play a positive role … It is important that the steps he took are built upon as they constitute a source of hope in the years to come,” Mr Higgins said.
French president Emmanuel Macron pays tribute
World leaders are paying tribute with French president Emmanuel Macron describing Pope Francis as a “man of humility, on the side of the most vulnerable and most fragile”.
Taoiseach and Tánaiste praise ‘humility and compassion’ of Pope Francis
The Taoiseach has offered his “heartfelt sympathies” and condolences to all who mourned the pope, on behalf of the Government and people of Ireland.
Micheál Martin said Francis “spoke out for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed”.
“His solidarity with refugees, his calls for climate action, and his insistence on global peace and equality set him apart as a champion of justice in the modern world.”
Mr Martin added that he met Pope Francis in Dublin during the pontiff’s trip to Ireland in 2018, saying he was “impressed by his vision of a Catholic Church that is open, compassionate, and focused on the needs of the most vulnerable”.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said he learned “with deep sadness” of the death of the pope, who was a “remarkable figure who embodied compassion, humility, and service”.
Mr Harris said Francis’s “commitment to justice, peace, and human dignity touched millions” while he worked to make the Catholic Church more inclusive.
Massive global profile
While he struggled with internal dissent, Francis became a global superstar, drawing huge crowds on his many foreign travels as he tirelessly promoted interfaith dialogue and peace, taking the side of the marginalised, such as migrants.
Unique in modern times, there were two men wearing white in the Vatican for much of Francis’s rule, with his predecessor Benedict opting to continue to live in the Holy See after his shock resignation in 2013 had opened the way for a new pontiff.
Benedict, a hero of the conservative cause, died in December 2022, finally leaving Francis alone on the papal stage.
Francis appointed nearly 80 per cent of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope correct as of February 2025, increasing the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies, despite the strong pushback from traditionalists.
Pope Francis known for his concern for the poor
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13th, 2013, surprising many church watchers who had seen the Argentinian cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.
He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his “psychological health”.
He inherited a church that was under attack over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy, and was elected with a clear mandate to restore order.
But as his papacy progressed, he faced fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherished traditions. He also drew the ire of progressives, who felt he should have done much more to reshape the 2,000-year-old church.
Pope Francis was the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He was 88 and had recently survived a serious bout of double pneumonia. The pontiff had also suffered various ailments in his 12-year papacy.
Vatican statement in full after Pope Francis dies
A short while ago, His eminence, Cardinal Farrell announced: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.
“At 7:35 this morning (local time), 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.”
Cardinal Farrell adds: “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.”
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/jUIkbplVi2
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025
Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday.
He was 88 and had recently survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.
Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the death.
The senior official said on Monday: “At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.”
The Taoiseach offered his “heartfelt sympathies” and condolences to all who mourned the pope, on behalf of the Government and people of Ireland.
Micheál Martin said Francis’s “distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity”.
“He spoke out for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed. His solidarity with refugees, his calls for climate action, and his insistence on global peace and equality set him apart as a champion of justice in the modern world,” Mr Martin said.
Pope Francis holds a special place in the hearts of the Irish people and was welcomed “with warmth and enthusiasm that spoke volumes” when he visited Ireland in 2018 for the World Meeting of Families, the Taoiseach said.
“I had the honour of meeting Pope Francis in Dublin Castle during that visit and was impressed by his vision of a Catholic Church that is open, compassionate, and focused on the needs of the most vulnerable,” he added.
The Tánaiste said he learned “with deep sadness” of the death of the pope, who was a “remarkable figure who embodied compassion, humility, and service”.
“On behalf of the people of Ireland, I offer my condolences to His Eminence Cardinal Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, the entire Roman Catholic Church, and all those mourning his loss worldwide,” Simon Harris said.
He said Francis’s “commitment to justice, peace, and human dignity touched millions” while he worked to make the Catholic Church more inclusive.
Pope Francis was a man of deep faith, peace and compassion who fostered ties with the Jewish world, Israel’s president Yitzhak Herzog said.
In a statement on X, he described the pope as “a man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world. I truly hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages (in Gaza) will soon be answered.”
French president Emmanuel Macron said that throughout his pontificate, Francis had always sided with the most vulnerable and the most fragile, and that he did this with a lot of humility.
“In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile,” Mr Macron told reporters.
The pope’s death ends an often turbulent reign marked by division and tension as he sought to overhaul the hidebound institution.
The pontiff had also suffered various ailments in his 12-year papacy.
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14th for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.
He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy.
Pope Francis marked Easter Sunday by blessing thousands of people who had gathered for mass in St Peter’s Square and then embarking on a surprise popemobile tour around the piazza on Sunday.
The pontiff did not celebrate mass in the square, delegating the service instead to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St Peter’s Basilica.
Francis was diagnosed with bronchitis in early February, but had continued to hold daily audiences in his Vatican hotel suite, and even presided at an outdoor Mass on Sunday, February 9th. But he had handed over his speeches for an aide to read aloud, saying he was having trouble breathing.
Francis, who had part of one lung removed at age 21, had long battled health problems, especially bouts of acute bronchitis in winter and had used a wheelchair, walker or cane when moving around his apartment.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13th, 2013, surprising many church watchers who had seen the Argentinian cleric, known for his concern for the poor, as an outsider.
He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his “psychological health”.
He inherited a church that was under attack over a child sex abuse scandal and torn by infighting in the Vatican bureaucracy, and was elected with a clear mandate to restore order.
But as his papacy progressed, he faced fierce criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherished traditions. He also drew the ire of progressives, who felt he should have done much more to reshape the 2,000-year-old church.
While he struggled with internal dissent, Francis became a global superstar, drawing huge crowds on his many foreign travels as he tirelessly promoted interfaith dialogue and peace, taking the side of the marginalised, such as migrants.
Unique in modern times, there were two men wearing white in the Vatican for much of Francis’s rule, with his predecessor Benedict opting to continue to live in the Holy See after his shock resignation in 2013 had opened the way for a new pontiff.
Benedict, a hero of the conservative cause, died in December 2022, finally leaving Francis alone on the papal stage.
Francis appointed nearly 80 per cent of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope correct as of February 2025, increasing the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies, despite the strong pushback from traditionalists. – Agencies
