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East County News ServiceApril 21, 2025 -- The day after people of the Christian faith had their holiest celebration of resurrection and new life, Pope Francis passed away early this morning at age 88.
The Holy See announced his death early this morning, saying the pontiff passed peacefully at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, where he had been residing in recent months due to ongoing health issues.
In a statement reported by multiple news outlets, Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vatican’s health department, said Pope Francis died of a cerebral stroke and irreversible heart failure
His passing marks the end of a papacy that spanned more than a decade and left a profound impact on both the Church and the wider world.
On Facbook, the Roman Catholic Dieces of San Diego posted, "We are deeply saddened by this news."
Francis’ death came less than a day after he made a public appearance for the church’s Easter Sunday celebrations in St. Peter’s Square. Francis also met with Vice President J.D. Vance on his way to the basilica.
It marked one of the few appearaces he made since his hospitalization for double pneumonia on Feb. 14. At that time, the pope was admitted to a hospital in Rome after a bout of bronchitis that worsened, eventually leading to bilateral pneumonia. His death comes about four weeks after he was released from the hospital.
In a statement, Arcangeli said Francis also suffered from episodes of respiratory insufficiency and Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Francis was the first pontiff from the Americas and a transformative figure in the Roman Catholic Church.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.
He was the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first non-European to hold the papacy in over 1,200 years.
From the moment he stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and simply said, “Fratelli e sorelle, buonasera” (“Brothers and sisters, good evening”), Pope Francis signaled a shift in tone and focus for the Vatican.
The pontiff was known for his humility, compassion, and tireless advocacy for the poor, making simplicity and mercy the hallmarks of his leadership.
Throughout his papacy, Francis championed causes that sometimes stirred controversy within the Church, including care for the environment, interfaith dialogue, immigration reform and the inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics.
In one of his final public addresses, Pope Francis reminded the world of his vision: “We are all called to care for one another, to build bridges, not walls, and to never tire of offering the hand of peace.”
His 2015 canticle Laudato Si’, a passionate call to combat climate change, was hailed as a moral landmark in the global environmental movement.
The pontiff also sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, increase accountability in the wake of the Church’s ongoing sexual abuse scandals, and elevate the voices of laypeople, including women, within Church life.
Though his reforms were often met with resistance, Francis remained a steady and persistent advocate for what he called a “Church of the poor for the poor.”
Despite age and declining health in his later years, Francis continued to travel, offering comfort to communities in crisis, including visits to war zones, refugee camps, and nations struggling with social unrest.
In 2021, he made a historic trip to Iraq, becoming the first pope to do so, promoting peace and reconciliation in a region scarred by decades of conflict.
He is survived by his brother, Oscar, and by the more than 1.3 billion members of the Catholic Church around the world.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Vatican in the coming days.
A conclave of cardinals will convene in the near future to select a new pope. Cardinal Robert McElroy, former San Diego Bishop, is among the cardinals under age 80 eligible to cast a vote.
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