Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America whose warm demeanor and dedication to the marginalized endeared him to millions — even as his critiques of capitalism and stance on climate change drew backlash from conservatives — passed away on Monday at the age of 88.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican’s camerlengo, announced.

Following the news, church bells rang out across Rome in mourning.

Francis had been battling chronic lung issues for years and lost part of one lung in his youth. He was hospitalized at Gemelli hospital on February 14, 2025, due to a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. His stay lasted 38 days — the longest of his 12-year papacy.

From his very first words as pope — the simple “Buonasera” (“Good evening”) — to his acts of compassion toward refugees and the poor, Francis immediately set a new tone for the papacy, emphasizing humility rather than grandeur in a Church still reeling from scandals and criticism.

Elected on March 13, 2013, following the unexpected resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio revitalized a centuries-old institution that had seen its global influence decline.

However, his papacy was not without controversy. His progressive approach, outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, and restrictions on traditionalist practices upset many conservatives. One of the most difficult moments of his leadership came in 2018, when his mishandling of a major clergy abuse case in Chile reignited outrage over the Church’s failure to confront abuse.

As a pope known for connecting with crowds and visiting the world’s fringes, Francis also had to adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding the global Church from a locked-down Vatican.

He urged humanity to reflect deeply during the crisis, seeing it as a chance to reassess the global economic and political systems that, he argued, had widened the gap between the wealthy and the poor.

“We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented,” Francis said to an empty St. Peter’s Square in March 2020. He emphasized the importance of solidarity, saying the pandemic revealed the need “for all of us to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other.”