VATICAN CITY — A very important person in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has passed away. The Vatican, which is the main headquarters of the Catholic Church, shared the sad news in a video on Monday.
He was 88 years old, and just a short time ago, he had been very sick with double pneumonia, a serious lung illness. Sadly, even though he fought hard, his body was too weak to keep going.
A church leader named Cardinal Kevin Farrell spoke to people around the world and said with great sadness,
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness 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.”
That means Pope Francis passed away peacefully early in the morning.
🧔🏽 Who Was Pope Francis?
Before he became Pope, his name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born in Argentina, a country in South America. On March 13, 2013, something very special happened — he was chosen to become the new Pope! He made history by being the first Latin American Pope ever.
Pope Francis was known for being kind, simple, and loving — especially to poor people and those who didn’t have much in life. When he became Pope, he did something surprising: instead of living in the fancy, traditional apartment that popes usually live in, he chose to stay in a smaller, simpler home with other priests. He said it helped him stay happy and healthy.
⛪ A Church with Problems
When Pope Francis started his job, the Church had many problems. There were big arguments inside the Church and serious scandals that made many people sad and angry. One of the biggest problems was the child abuse scandal, where some church leaders had done very wrong things.
The people who chose Pope Francis hoped he would fix these problems, bring peace, and make things better. And he tried very hard to do that.
😔 Not Everyone Agreed with Him
Even though Pope Francis wanted to help, not everyone liked what he did. Some conservative Catholics (people who like old traditions) thought he was changing too many things. But some progressive Catholics (who want more changes) thought he didn’t change enough.
So, he had people disagreeing with him on both sides. Still, he kept working hard to bring peace and love to everyone.
🌏 A Pope Loved by Many Around the World
Even though there were problems, Pope Francis was very loved by many people all over the world. He went to lots of countries, met with people of different religions, and always spoke about peace, kindness, and helping the poor.
He also stood up for migrants (people who move to other countries for a better life) and people who were being ignored or treated unfairly.
🕊 Two Popes in the Vatican?
Usually, there’s only one pope at a time, but something very unusual happened during Francis’ time: there were two men in white robes living in the Vatican!
That’s because the Pope before him, Pope Benedict, decided to retire in 2013, which hardly ever happens. But he didn’t move far away. He stayed in the Vatican, so both of them lived there at the same time. Pope Benedict passed away in December 2022, and then Pope Francis was the only pope again.
👑 What Happens Next?
Now that Pope Francis has passed away, the Church will need to choose a new Pope. He made sure to choose many cardinals (important Church leaders) who think like him, so there is a good chance the next pope will continue some of the changes and good things that Pope Francis started.
As of February 2025, about 80% of the cardinals who will vote for the next Pope were chosen by him.
💔 A Final Goodbye
Pope Francis will be remembered as a loving, brave, and humble leader who tried his best to make the Church a better place. Even though he is gone, many people will always remember the way he loved everyone, helped the poor, and tried to bring the world closer together.
Rest in peace, Pope Francis. ❤️
