Pope Francis dies at 88, announces Vatican

Vatican City: Pope Francis has died at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican said in a statement Monday afternoon, India time.

“Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta,” the Vatican posted on X.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church had been suffering from respiratory ailments and pneumonia.

“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’s TV channel.

On Easter Sunday morning, Pope Francis had a brief private meeting with the Vice President of the United States of America, J D Vance, the Holy See’s Press Office had detailed about the interaction that lasted a few minutes.

Vance was travelling to Italy with his family and visited the Secretariat of State before leaving for India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in the past admired Pope’s commitment to serve people and had also extended an invitation to Pope Francis to visit India at an early date.

“Met Pope Francis on the sidelines of the G7 Summit. I admire his commitment to serve people and make our planet better. Also invited him to visit India,” the Prime Minister posted on X after meeting the Pope at the G7 Summit’s Outreach Session in Borgo Egnazia, last year.

In October 2021, the Pope received PM Modi during a private audience at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, which was also the first meeting between an Indian Prime Minister and the Pope in more than two decades.

In June 2000, late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had last visited the Vatican and met the then Pope, John Paul II.

India and The Holy See have friendly relations dating back to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1948. India is also home to the second-largest Catholic population in Asia.

–IANS