BREAKING NEWS: Pope Francis has died

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican has said.

A statement from the camerlengo said, “Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His whole 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 marginalized. 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 Triune God.”

The Pope died in Vatican City just weeks after being released from the hospital following a bout of pneumonia.

His Holiness had been hospitalised since Friday, 14 February, but received an updated diagnosis of double pneumonia the week of 10 February. By 22 February, the Vatican had announced that the Pope was in critical condition following a severe asthmatic respiratory crisis on Saturday that resulted in high-flow oxygen therapy and a blood transfusion. The following day, the Vatican said he was in the early stages of kidney failure.

The Vatican revealed he had another breathing issue that resulted in non-invasive mechanical ventilation at the end of February.

He was released to allow him to continue his convalescence at his Casa Santa Marta residence at the Vatican.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 in Argentina, Pope Francis had been the head of the Catholic Church since the abdication of Pope Benedict in 2013. He was elected to the papacy on 13 March 2013. He chose Francis as his papal name to honour Saint Francis of Assisi.

He held the distinction of being the first Pope from the Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus) and from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere. Pope Francis was also the first Holy Father to be born or raised outside Europe since the 8th century.

Pope Francis brought about change in the Vatican. He made women full members of the dicasteries in the Catholic Church’s Roman Curia. His Late Holiness was more approving of the LGBT community and made climate change a focal point of his time as Pope. He also apologised for the Catholic Church’s role in the genocide of Indigenous people in Canada.

Bishops in the Vatican will now begin the process of electing the Catholic Church’s next leader.