Pope Francis has died. Photo: Filippo Monteforte / AFP
Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88, ending one of the most turbulent and reformist pontificates in the history of the Catholic Church.
Today, the Vatican officially confirmed the death of Pope Francis, the first Latin American to hold the throne of St Peter. His life was cut short in Rome after a long struggle with a respiratory infection and double pneumonia, complicated by a history of lung disease.
He was 88 years old. He had led the Church since 2013.
The pontificate of the reform era: openness, justice, compassion
Pope Francis has gone down in history not only as the first Jesuit and Latin American pope, but also as a profound reformer. His pontificate has been marked:
– A strict “zero tolerance” policy for sexual abuse in the Church.
– Financial transparency in the Vatican* after decades of corruption.
– Openness to the LGBT+ community, women and people on the margins of society.
– Historic decisions, such as allowing same-sex couples to be blessed and allowing women to vote in synods.
Briefly about life: from chemist to spiritual father of millions
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he chose the spiritual path after studying chemistry. After working his way up through the ranks of Jesuit, teacher, spiritual director, archbishop and cardinal, he was elected Pope on 13 March 2013.
A quote to remember
“The church should not be a fortress, but a field hospital for those who suffer.”
