Pope Francis dies at the age of 88
The Vatican announced on Monday the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88.
“At 7:35 a.m. this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house… He has dedicated his entire life to the service of the Lord and his Church,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Kevin Ferrell said in a statement.
He added, “He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially toward the poorest and most marginalized”.
The Pope’s last appearance was yesterday during Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, where he appeared from the balcony and then drove around the square, where thousands of faithful had gathered to celebrate the holiday.
The Pope was suffering from weakness due to pneumonia, which led to him being hospitalized for about a month.
Pope Francis recently approved plans to reduce the complexity of funeral and mourning ceremonies.
Previous popes were buried in three nested coffins made of cypress, lead, and oak, while Pope Francis chose a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.
He also abolished the tradition of placing the pope’s body on a raised platform known as a coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing.
Instead, mourners will be invited to pay their respects with his body inside the coffin, with the lid removed.
Pope Francis will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in more than a century, and will be laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four main papal churches.
