Pope Francis dies at 88 after health battle

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, dies at 88 following a recent battle with pneumonia. Vatican confirms.

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]ope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio and serving as the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88.

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The Vatican confirmed his passing on Monday morning in an official statement released by the camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

The Holy Father died at 7:35 AM at the Vatican, following complications from a severe case of pneumonia that had kept him hospitalized for over five weeks.

“At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized,” said Cardinal Farrell.

Pope Francis had recently been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where his condition was described as critical on several occasions.

According to Sergio Alfieri, head of his medical team, the Pope suffered four respiratory crises during treatment, including a life-threatening episode in which he inhaled vomit.

“We had to choose whether to stop [treatment] and let him go, or push forward and try [to save him]… In the end, we took this path,” Alfieri said in an interview.

Francis’ personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, urged the doctors to keep fighting, insisting, “Try everything, don’t give up.”

Despite the overwhelming odds, the Pope showed resilience, moving around in a wheelchair and even sharing pizza with medical staff during recovery.

Following a brief period of stability and return to Vatican City on April 6, his health unfortunately declined again, leading to his peaceful passing earlier today.

The final public photo of Pope Francis was from his April 9 meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

A planned state visit by the British monarch to the Vatican had already been postponed due to his health condition.

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The entire Catholic world now mourns the loss of a spiritual leader who championed compassion, humility, and inclusion.

Plans for his funeral and succession will be announced by the Vatican in the coming days.