![Pope Francis (c) speaks during a press conference at the South Sudan presidential palace on Feb. 3, 2023. [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/69592433-873A-4E56-AC7F-F109BA9B4F97.jpeg?resize=1024%2C576&quality=89&ssl=1)
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, died on Monday at the age of 88, the Vatican said, concluding a decade-long papacy marked by efforts to reform the Roman Catholic Church amid internal divisions and his dedication to global peace initiatives, notably in South Sudan.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the pope’s death on the Vatican’s television channel.
“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Farrell said. “At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
The death followed a period of declining health, including a recent bout of pneumonia that required a 38-day hospital stay. On Sunday, Francis had made his first extended public appearance since his discharge, greeting crowds in St. Peter’s Square from an open-air popemobile and delivering an Easter blessing.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, elected pope on March 13, 2013, surprised many with his simple style and focus on the poor. He chose to live in a Vatican guesthouse rather than the papal apartments.
He inherited a Church grappling with a child sex abuse scandal and internal strife, and sought to implement reforms. However, his papacy faced criticism from both conservatives, who accused him of abandoning tradition, and progressives, who felt his changes were insufficient.
Francis became a prominent global figure, advocating for interfaith dialogue, peace, and the marginalized, including migrants.
Notably, he dedicated significant efforts to promoting peace in South Sudan, a country ravaged by conflict. In a powerful gesture, he knelt to kiss the feet of South Sudanese leaders in 2019, urging them to pursue peace.
In 2023, he made a historic ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan, the first papal visit to the nation since before its independence from Sudan, reinforcing his commitment to a lasting peace within the region. His many international trips drew large crowds.
His papacy was unique in modern times, as he co-existed with his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who had resigned in 2013 and died in December 2022.
Francis appointed nearly 80% of the cardinals eligible to vote in the next papal election, potentially influencing the direction of the Church and increasing the likelihood of a successor who shares his progressive views.
