Photo: FILIPPO MONTEFORTE / AFP / Getty Images
Pope Francis is dead at the age of 88. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church passed away earlier today about a month after leaving a hospital in Rome where he was being treated for various respiratory ailments. A statement released by the Vatican from Cardinal Kevin Farrell read in part: "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to serving the Lord and His Church.
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski releasing a statement Monday, "Pope Francis leaves this world as a 'pilgrim of hope'. May choirs of angels welcome you and lead you to the bosom of Abraham; and where Lazarus is poor no longer may you find eternal rest.” And may Mary, Mother of the Church and undoer of knots, set us free through faith."
Pope Francis' birth name was Jorge Bergoglio and he was born in Argentina. As a young man, Bergoglio underwent surgery to remove part of one of his lungs due to a serious infection.
Prior to the 2013 papal conclave, Pope Francis had served as both archbishop and cardinal for more than 12 years. Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first pope from outside Europe since the 8th Century. Pope Francis was very progressive on scientific issues such as the Big Bang theory and evolution
During his papacy, the Church faced a number of child sexual abuse cases involving about three thousand priests, some of which dated back 50 years. In February 2019, the Pope convened a four-day summit at the Vatican devoted to the longstanding problem of sexual abuse. Pope Francis made sweeping changes that allow for greater transparency.