Pope Francis passes away at 88, announces Vatican

• Pope Francis's death comes day after Easter Sunday.
• He was suffering from pneumonia, spent weeks in hospital.
• The pope came close to dying twice earlier this year.
  

Pope Francis died on Monday aged 88, a day after making a much hoped-for appearance at Saint Peter's Square on Easter Sunday, the Vatican said in a statement.

"Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with deep sorrow that I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in the statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.

"This morning at 7:35am the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church."

Francis's death came just a day after he delighted the crowds of worshippers at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with an appearance on the balcony at Saint Peter's Basilica despite still convalescing after a severe illness.

Francis had come close to dying twice earlier this year while suffering from pneumonia.

He spent 38 days in hospital before he was released on March 23.

On Sunday, Francis entered St. Peter's Square in an open-air popemobile shortly after mid-day, greeting cheering crowds.

He wished the crowds on Saint Peter's Square a "Happy Easter" as he waved and in his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") benediction he called for freedom of thought and tolerance.

He had also offered a special blessing for the first time since Christmas.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013, surprising many church watchers who had seen the Argentine 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 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' 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% of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope, increasing the possibility that his successor will continue his progressive policies, despite the strong pushback from traditionalists.