Pope Francis dead at 88 years old
Pope Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88, Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced.
Coverage for this event has ended.
Vatican official seals Pope Francis' bedroom and studio door after death: photo
A picture shows a Catholic cardinal sealing Pope Francis' residence after his death on Monday.
Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell was seen sealing the door to the papal bedroom and studio at the Vatican shortly after the announcement of the pontiff's death.
It is traditional to seal the pope's doors after his death, which will be followed by a nine-day mourning period called Novemdiales.
Pope Francis told crowd he needs 'a bit of tequila' to help his knee pain in 2022 video
Catholics across the world are remembering Pope Francis for his warmth and friendliness in the wake of his death on Monday.
A video from 2022 showed Pope Francis greeting and joking with a crowd of people in St. Peter's Square. Someone behind the camera thanked the pontiff for greeting the audience despite his well-documented knee pain.
The pope, listening with a straight face, then told the crowd his latest idea for pain relief.
"Do you know what I need for my knee?" the pope responded, breaking into a smile. "Some tequila!"
Read the full article about Pope Francis by Timothy H.J. Nerozzi
FLASHBACK: Pope Francis revealed he was nearly assassinated during historic Iraq trip
The first-ever Iraq visit by a pope could've ended disastrously, but a foiled assassination plot ended up enabling Pope Francis to write about the event in retrospect.
Francis, who died on Monday, wrote about the 2021 incident in his autobiography. During his trip to Mosul, Iraq, a tip from British intelligence made waves through authorities and alerted the Vatican military police to two threats.
"Almost everyone advised me against that trip," he wrote.
A would-be suicide bomber strapped with explosives was headed toward the city with the intent of detonating herself, according to Politico. The second, the pontiff said, was a van containing explosives that had charged toward the same area with the "same intent."
Read the full article about Pope Francis by Taylor Penley
What to know about Santa Maria Maggiore, where Pope Francis will be buried
Pope Francis' will, which was released after his death on Monday, outlined his desire to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica in Rome.
One of Rome’s four papal basilicas, seven popes are buried at Santa Maria Maggiore (which translates to Saint Mary Major in English).
Francis will be the first pope buried outside the Vatican in over 100 years, and the first Pope buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in over 350 years.
The last time a pope was buried outside the Vatican was in 1924. Pope Leo XIII died in 1903 and was initially buried in the Vatican in 1903; his remains were later moved to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome in 1924.
Fox News' Emily Reynolds contributed to this report.
Pope Francis honored by mourners in Rome after his death: video
Footage shows thousands of Catholics gathering in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City to pray following the death of Pope Francis.
Many attendants were observed crying and holding rosary beads. Hundreds of nuns were also in attendance.
Some mourners brought Palestinian flags to wave, a reference to Pope Francis' humanitarian view towards suffering in Gaza.
Why did Pope Francis restrict the ancient Latin Mass?
One of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis’ legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church is his decision to restrict an older form of the Catholic liturgy known as the Traditional Latin Mass.
Francis explained that he decided to restrict the Latin Mass because he was concerned its use was leading to division in the Church. Francis said he felt the more ancient mass was "being used in an ideological way" in reaction to modernity, including the more modern Vatican II mass.
The mass — from the Latin word "missa," which means "sacrifice" — consists of the "Liturgy of the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist," the latter of which is considered the most sacred and highest form of worship by Catholics.
Read the full article about Pope Francis by Peter Pinedo
Trump confirms plans to attend Pope Francis' funeral in Rome
On Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced his intentions to attend Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.
The president announced the plans in a brief Truth Social post.
"Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!" the post read.
Pope Francis and US presidents: A look back at his legacy with the nation's leaders
U.S. presidents mourned the death of Pope Francis, who served as the leader of the Catholic Church for 12 years, on Monday following the Vatican’s announcement of the pope’s passing.
"Rest in Peace Pope Francis!" President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Monday. "May God Bless him and all who loved him!"
The College of Cardinals elected Pope Francis, 88, to serve as the pope following Pope Benedict XVI in March 2013. His election marked the first time a non-European served as pope in more than 1,000 years. Pope Francis, born with the name Jorge Mario Bergoglio, originally hailed from Argentina.
Read the full article about Pope Francis by Diana Stancy
Prince William expected at Pope Francis' funeral as family honors relationship with religious leader
For over 12 years, Pope Francis, who died on Monday at 88 years old, worked tirelessly to preserve unity within the Church and its allies, including the British royal family.
Prince William will attend the funeral services for Pope Francis in representation of the royal family, royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.
Additionally, says Turner, "Flags are being lowered at half-mast on Royal residences and during the Changing of the Guard daily ceremonies, sombre music will be played."
Read the full article about Prince William by Christina Dugan Ramirez
City of New Orleans mourns death of Pope Francis: 'Guiding light for millions'
The City of New Orleans issued a heartfelt message about the death of Pope Francis on Monday, calling the deceased pontiff a "guiding light for millions, embodying the values of love, mercy, and inclusion."
"On behalf of the City of New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell extends her heartfelt condolences to the family of Pope Francis, the Vatican, and the global Catholic community on the passing of His Holiness," the statement read.
"We invite the people of New Orleans to prayerfully reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis a spiritual leader who dedicated his life to compassion, humility, and justice for all. We honor his unwavering commitment to human dignity, social equity, and peace."
"It is our prayer that he now rests in God's eternal peace."
Pope Francis' will released by Vatican officials following death
Vatican officials released Pope Francis' will on Monday evening, hours after the pontiff passed away of a stroke.
The will was written in June 2022 and explains the pope's preferences for his burial.
"Feeling that the sunset of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in the Eternal Life, I wish to express my testamentary will only with regard to the place of my Burial," the will begins.
"I have always entrusted my life and the priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest waiting for the day of the resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore," the document continues.
Francis said that he wanted his "last earthly journey to end in this ancient sanctuary."
The will also asks for Francis to be buried in the earth, "without particular decorum and with the only inscription: Franciscus."
Fox News' Thomas Ferraro contributed to this update.
What American Catholics thought about Pope Francis
Pope Francis, who changed the face of the papacy, was broadly popular with the more than 60 million U.S. Catholics, according to recent public opinion polling.
Seventy-eight percent of American Catholics expressed a favorable opinion of the pope in a Pew Poll conducted in early February, shortly before Francis' lengthy hospitalization for a case of double pneumonia.
The 88-year-old pope died on Monday. Francis' popularity among American Catholics was constant throughout his dozen-year tenure as pope, with his favorability peaking at 90% in a February 2015 poll by Pew.
Read the full article about Pope Francis by Paul Steinhauser
Vatican officials reveal Pope Francis’ cause of death as a stroke
Pope Francis died of a cerebral stroke, according to an update by Vatican officials on Monday afternoon.
Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vatican’s health department, said that the stroke put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure.
Arcangeli added that Francis also suffered from episodes of "respiratory insufficiency," as well as his recent bilateral pneumonia. The pope also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
The Associated Press contributed to this update.
Faith leaders reflect on Pope Francis' death, papacy and lasting legacy: 'Made his mark'
Faith leaders from across the country are sharing reaction and insight with Fox News Digital as the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, who died at age 88 on Monday, April 21.
Francis served for 12 years as pontiff. He was the first Jesuit to serve as pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
Dr. Alex McFarland, youth, religion and culture expert, is the author of more than 20 books. He told Fox News Digital on Monday morning, "Christians everywhere, regardless of affiliation, should extend loving condolences and prayers for Catholic believers who are mourning the loss of Pope Francis. Belief in the Triune God and in Christ, the Son, unites us (I John 5:1), along with so many other core truths of the Christian faith. Let us unite in prayer for the Catholic Church to be clearly led at this time by God’s Holy Spirit and His Word."
Pastor Wendell Vinson, co-founder of CityServe and based in Bakersfield, California, told Fox News Digital, "Today, we join with the Catholic Church and people of faith across the globe in mourning the death of Pope Francis. A man known for his humility and care for the least of these, his life is a shining example of service to those the world has often overlooked.
"This same spirit characterized his work on behalf of the persecuted and oppressed around the world."
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, shared with Fox News Digital, "Catholics around the globe are mourning the death of Pope Francis. He touched millions of the faithful, including non-Catholics and non-believers. When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio assumed the role of Pope Francis, his down-to-earth style captured the plaudits of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. It was his unscripted, and often spontaneous, manner of speaking that made him so authentic and appealing."
Fox News' Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
Who will be the next pope following Pope Francis’ death?
After the death of a pope, the College of Cardinals is responsible for gathering at the Sistine Chapel and electing a new sovereign of the Vatican and Roman Catholic Church.
In December 2024, Pope Francis installed 21 new cardinals at a consistory. In 1970, Pope Paul VI set a 120-man limit to a papal conclave, a meeting or election of the College of Cardinals.
At the time Pope Francis expanded the college to 142 men, his 10th consistory during his reign as the pope, controversial selections sparked whispers in the Catholic community regarding Pope Francis' agenda for the duration of his papacy and after his death.
Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Mykola Bychok, 44, was revealed as one of Pope Francis' cardinal picks in October 2024. The decision received backlash as Major Archbishop of Kyiv, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, was passed over for red cassocks and headgear. Shevchuk was critical of Pope Francis' reaction to the ongoing war with Russia, though Pope Francis accepted an invitation from the archbishop to visit Ukraine in 2025.
Pope Francis most recently maintained a prominent Italian presence in the college installing five new cardinals from across Italy.
While the consistory is overflowing, only 138 cardinals will vote in the next election as senior members above 80 years old cannot vote.
Italian prelate Pietro Parolin, 70, is a senior cardinal bishop, a high ranking position in the College of Cardinals. Parolin is the highest ranking member of the college under the age of 80. Parolin is considered a "moderate" cardinal in the church.
The two most senior cardinal bishops are Italian prelate Giovanni Battista Re, 91, and Argentine prelate Leonardo Sandri, 81.
Thai prelate Michael Michai Kitbunchu, 96, Asia's oldest cardinal, is the most senior ranking cardinal priest.
During his papacy, Pope Francis made efforts to be more inclusive of Catholics in the LGBTQ+ community and remarked on same-sex civil unions.
Italian prelate Matteo Zuppi is pro-LGBTQ and made headlines when he was accused of holding a mass to bless a same-sex couple. He is floated as a possible replacement to Pope Francis.
Hungarian prelate Peter Erdö is being tossed around as a replacement to Pope Francis and is considered a conservative who devotes his personal faith to the Virgin Mary.
Clintons remember Pope Francis' 'remarkable life and legacy'
Former President Bill Clinton released a statement Monday saying “Hillary and I mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis and celebrate his remarkable life and legacy: promoting peace, economic inclusion, and social justice, and fighting climate change, particularly its threat to the lives and livelihoods of the world’s poorest citizens.”
“By his own example, he taught that every human being’s personal search – even a Pope’s -- for a purposeful life was meaningful and important, and that power and politics must always make room for compassion and coexistence,” Clinton continued.
“We join with countless millions of people around the world, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, in prayers of gratitude for a life well lived, rooted in faith, filled with energy and purpose, and dedicated to reconciliation and cooperation,” he added.
Pope Francis met with Putin, King Charles III in recent years
Pope Francis has rarely clashed publicly with world leaders since being elected to the Catholic Church’s top job in 2013, instead taking a diplomatic approach to world affairs.
Pope Francis became the first Pope to be invited to speak in front of the G7 Summit last year, where he warned world leaders about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
The Pope has met with many world leaders in recent years, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and King Charles III, the latter of whom visited Francis at the Vatican.
When it comes to American president’s, the Pope has at times had a rocky relationship. In a 2022 interview, the pope described former President Biden’s stance on abortion rights an “incoherence,” given Biden’s Catholic faith.
Francis has also clashed with President Donald Trump, who the Pope was highly critical of during his 2016 bid for president and throughout his first term in office.
Those clashes with Trump continued into Trump’s second stint in the Oval Office, with Francis recently speaking out against Trump’s border and immigration enforcement efforts.
Fox News' Michael Lee contributed reporting.
Crowds gather at St. Patrick's Cathedral to mourn Pope Francis
Crowds are gathering at St. Patrick's Cathedral Monday in New York City to mourn the loss of Pope Francis.
A photograph of Francis was placed on the altar, alongside flowers.
Francis visited New York City in 2015, stopping by the 9/11 Memorial to place a rose, in addition to holding a mass at Madison Square Garden and driving through Central Park in the Popemobile.
Cardinals appointed by Pope Francis represent two-thirds of papal electors
Around two-thirds of the number of cardinals currently eligible to vote in a conclave were appointed by Pope Francis, a report said.
Francis appointed 81 men who are still under the age of 80, the LaCroix International newspaper reported in June 2023.
It added that those cardinals will become part of a 121-member group who are eligible to choose the next pope in a conclave.
A brief history of Popes
An extremely diverse group of Catholic pontiffs have headed the Church through periods of ostracism, growth, schism and upheaval.
Peter was the first pope, serving for 34 years. Anointed by Jesus to lead his church, Peter spread his word before being crucified under Emperor Nero.
Evaristus, the first non-Italian pope, was elected in 96 AD. The Grecian Evaristus’ Jewish father was from Bethlehem.
The youngest pope, elected in 1032, was Benedict IX. Historians believe he was 12 when elected. He was ousted multiple times during his volatile tenure. He became pope on three separate occasions before his death in 1056.
Elected during the Renaissance in 1471, Pope Sixtus IV elevated the Church’s stature by overseeing construction projects in Rome, employing renowned artists in the construction of the Sistine Chapel, named after Sixtus himself.
The shortest-tenured pope, Urban VII, reigned just 13 days before his death from malaria in 1590. During his brief reign, he proposed anti-nepotism and health measures in Rome.
The oldest living pontiff, Leo XIII died in 1903 at 93 years old after a 25-year tenure.
Pope John XXIII responded to increased secularism by convening the Second Vatican Council in 1962. Spawning enduring and continuing change, the council increased outreach outside the Church and allowed masses to be offered in local languages.
The first Polish pope and the youngest elected in over a century, John Paul II was just 58 when elected in 1978. John Paul II apologized to groups wronged by Catholics through history and advocated against violence.
Pope Benedict XVI, was the first pope to resign in some 600 years, in 2013 at 85. During his tenure, Benedict embraced technology and addressed priests’ abuse of children.
Fox News' Beth Bailey contributed reporting.