Pope Francis Dies Aged 88

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 in Rome, the Vatican has confirmed. Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the news on Monday. The death comes fewer than 24 hours after Pope Francis made an appearance at the Vatican's St Peter's Square for Easter Sunday.

Pope Francis was admitted to hospital on February 14 for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days in hospital and was discharged recently. In his final address on Sunday, the pontiff remembered the people of Gaza. "Call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace," said Pope Francis, who was the first Pope from the Americas or the Southern Hemisphere.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis, was born in Argentina on December 17, 1936. Francis was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969. He became Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992, Archbishop later, and was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001. He was elected the church’s 266th pope after the retirement of Benedict XVI in 2013.