In a shocking turn of events, the Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis has passed away. This breaking news comes after weeks of uncertainty regarding his health, with the pontiff battling a series of severe respiratory complications. While details of his final moments remain under wraps, the following report provides an in‐depth look at the events leading up to this historic loss.
ROME — Pope Francis, 88, was in critical condition Saturday after suffering a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican said. The pontiff had been hospitalized for a week with a complex lung infection and had received blood transfusions after tests indicated a condition associated with anemia, according to the Vatican’s late update.
“The Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday. At the moment the prognosis is reserved,” the statement said.
Over the past several days, medical professionals closely monitored the pope’s condition. Earlier updates revealed that Francis was battling pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection that kept him hospitalized, with doctors warning that his fragile state could quickly deteriorate. Despite a brief period in which he reportedly slept well overnight, his overall condition remained precarious.
The Vatican continued its Holy Year celebrations on Saturday without the presence of the pontiff, a clear indication of the gravity of the situation. In a bid to maintain a sense of normalcy during the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism, church officials adapted their schedules; however, the absence of Pope Francis was deeply felt by many.
Doctors had long cautioned that the onset of sepsis—the dangerous infection of the blood—posed the greatest threat to Francis. Although, as of Friday, there was no evidence of sepsis and the pope was responding to various treatments, his condition was described as touch-and-go by his medical team.
“He is not out of danger,” said his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone. “So like all fragile patients I say they are always on the golden scale: In other words, it takes very little to become unbalanced.”
Pope Francis, who had long suffered from chronic lung disease, was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic on February 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened into a complex viral, bacterial, and fungal respiratory tract infection, eventually leading to pneumonia in both lungs. His doctors prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone, antibiotics, and supplemental oxygen.
Carbone, along with the pope’s personal nurse Massimiliano Strappetti, had organized care for Francis even before his hospitalization, with the pontiff insisting on remaining at the Vatican to continue his work, “because of institutional and private commitments.” In addition to his personal medical team, he was attended by a cardiologist and an infectious disease specialist.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, head of medicine and surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, expressed grave concerns over the potential complications. He emphasized that the primary danger was the possibility of germs from the respiratory system entering the bloodstream and triggering sepsis—a condition that can rapidly lead to organ failure and death.
“Sepsis, with his respiratory problems and his age, would be really difficult to get out of,” Alfieri told a news conference Friday at Gemelli. “The English say ‘knock on wood,’ we say ‘touch iron.’ Everyone touch what they want,” he said as he tapped the microphone. “But this is the real risk in these cases: that these germs pass to the bloodstream.”
“He knows he’s in danger,” Alfieri added. “And he told us to relay that.”
At the Vatican, deacons and other church officials had gathered for a special Jubilee weekend. Originally, Pope Francis was expected to preside over the celebration of deacons—a ministry that precedes ordination to the priesthood. In his stead, a substitute was arranged to lead Sunday’s Mass, as Francis had already been absent from his traditional Sunday noon blessing for the second consecutive weekend due to his declining health.
Deacon Luis Arnaldo Lopez Quirindongo from Ponce, Puerto Rico, who was present at the Vatican during the Jubilee celebration, offered words of comfort and resilience amidst the somber atmosphere.
“Look, even though he’s not (physically) here, we know he’s here,” said Luis Arnaldo Lopez Quirindongo. “He’s recovering, but he’s in our hearts and is accompanying us because our prayers and his go together.”
As the global community absorbs the news of Pope Francis’s passing, many are left reflecting on his decades-long legacy and the profound impact he had on millions around the world. His efforts to promote compassion, inclusivity, and interfaith dialogue resonated far beyond the confines of the Catholic Church. Yet, his enduring struggle with chronic respiratory issues and the recent cascade of severe infections ultimately culminated in this heartbreaking outcome.
Doctors have indicated that his recovery would have taken considerable time, even had he overcome the infection, as he was destined to live with chronic respiratory challenges for the rest of his life. The loss of Pope Francis marks the end of an era for the Catholic Church, as well as for a global community that looked to him for inspiration and leadership.
“He has to get over this infection and we all hope he gets over it,” said Alfieri. “But the fact is, all doors are open.”
In the wake of this monumental loss, tributes and condolences continue to pour in from around the world. As the Catholic Church and the faithful mourn the passing of a transformative figure, many are already looking ahead to the future leadership that will carry forward his vision of unity and love. The legacy of Pope Francis will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of those he touched, and his influence will be felt for generations to come.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio as a young priest. © Franco Origlia—Jesuit General Curia/Getty Images
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires in 1936, the son of Italian immigrants to Argentina. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1958 when he was 22 years old and was ordained a priest in 1969.
Bergoglio served as superior of the Jesuit province of Argentina from 1973 to 1979, during a time of turmoil in his country. A military coup in 1976 led to the Dirty War, in which thousands of people were “disappeared” (kidnapped, tortured, and usually killed).
Upon his election as pope in 2013, he chose the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who lived a life of humble service to the poor.
An important part of Francis’s papacy was making public apologies to survivors of the church’s epidemic of sexual abuse by clergy. In July 2022 he made a “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada, where he met with survivors of the country’s religious-run residential schools, which had attempted to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children and became notorious for their physical and sexual abuse.
