Overview
- Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 following weeks of hospitalization for a lung infection that led to kidney complications, as confirmed by Vatican officials.
- The Vatican has entered a nine-day mourning period, with plans underway for a funeral Mass and the conclave to elect the next pope.
- Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, exchanging symbolic gifts and greetings in what would be the pontiff’s final public meeting.
- Vance issued a statement expressing condolences to Christians worldwide and recalling the pope’s impactful homily during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Cardinal Kevin Farrell highlighted Francis’s lifelong dedication to the Church, his advocacy for the marginalized, and his teachings of universal love and courage.