Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican has confirmed.
His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released around nine in the morning.
‘Dearest Brothers and Sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 0735 this morning, the Bishop of Rome Francis returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his church’, the statement said.
Pope Francis taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised, the Vatican statement added, noting his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus.
‘We commend his soul to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God’.
Francis became Pope in 2013 and over the past few months he suffered from serious health issues. On 14 February he was admitted to hospital for bronchitis treatment and remained hospitalised for five weeks.
The last public appearance of Pope Francis was yesterday, when he blessed crowds who gathered for the Easter ceremony at Saint Peter’s square.
The process for choosing a new pope, the conclave, generally takes place 15 to 20 days after the death of a pontiff.
