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On Easter Monday, just a day after Christians around the world celebrated the resurrection of Christ, Pope Francis passed away peacefully in his Vatican residence. He was 88 years old.
The announcement came early Monday morning, April 21, from the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope had lived throughout his papacy. At 7:35 a.m., surrounded by close aides and in the care of doctors, Pope Francis—born Jorge Mario Bergoglio—breathed his last.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, speaking from the Vatican, delivered the somber news to the world: “With deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis… His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church.”
Pope Francis had been battling health issues for years, including chronic respiratory problems stemming from a lung surgery he underwent in his early twenties. In February of this year, he was hospitalized for over a month with pneumonia and complications from bronchitis. Though he returned home in March to recover, his condition never fully stabilized.
Yet until the very end, the Pope remained a presence in the lives of millions—always soft-spoken but firm, always calling for compassion, justice, and humility. From the slums of Buenos Aires to the grand halls of the Vatican, Pope Francis was a man who insisted on simplicity and service over pomp and power.
He made history in 2013 as the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis, inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi—known for his love of peace, the poor, and nature. True to his name, he focused much of his papacy on social justice, climate change, interfaith dialogue, and the plight of migrants and refugees.
He washed the feet of prisoners, embraced people with disfigurements, and chose to live in a modest guesthouse instead of the Vatican’s ornate apostolic palace.
Throughout his papacy, he challenged the Church—and the world—to be less rigid, more merciful. “Who am I to judge?” he once said about gay Catholics, in a phrase that came to define his open, pastoral approach.
In keeping with his humble nature, the Pope had personally asked that his funeral be simple. Plans are still being finalized, but Vatican officials say the ceremony will reflect Francis’ wish to be remembered as a servant of God, not as a global figure of power.
“The funeral of the Roman Pontiff,” explained Archbishop Diego Ravelli, “will not be a spectacle of status but a testimony of faith. He wanted it focused on Christ, not himself.”
Francis leaves behind a Church still grappling with change, but one forever shaped by his presence. Whether it was his quiet smile, his bold words, or his deep faith, he touched lives far beyond the pews of Rome.
In Cyprus and around the world, flags will fly at half-mast. Church bells will toll. And in churches large and small, candles will be lit not just in mourning, but in thanks—for a man who, even in death, continues to shine a light.
*With information from VaticanNews.va
