Pope Francis Dead at 88

Pope Francis has died. He was 88.

The first Latin American pope to ever be elected by the Catholic Church passed away at 7:35AM local time in Vatican City, located in Rome, Italy, on Monday (April 21), the day after Easter.

His death was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, this morning.

"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 Farrell said in a statement, according to Associated Press.

Francis served as the pope for 12 years. He became the 266th pope in 2013 following former Pope Benedict XVI's resignation.

A formal liturgy service will take place at 8PM (GMT) this evening and will include the confirmation of Pope Francis’ death and the placement of his body in the coffin.

His body will remain at the chapel of Domus Santa Marta hotel, where Francis lived, for a few days before being moved to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing.

A funeral will be held afterward at a yet-to-be-determined time, after which a new pope will be elected by the Catholic Church via the ritual conclave.

READ MORE: Pope Francis Calls for Same-Sex Civil Union Laws

Pope Francis made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday (April 20), shortly before which he met with Vice President JD Vance.

Francis was known for his commitment to the poor, environmental issues and for supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

World leaders reacted to the news of Francis' death with messages of mourning and appreciation.

"He knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity. He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians," Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, while Russian President Vladimir Putin called Francis a "consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice."

"Pope Francis was a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

The canonization of the first-ever millennial saint, an Italian teenager named Carlo Acutis, has been postponed in the wake of Francis' death. Acutis died of leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006.

His canonization ceremony was planned for this upcoming Sunday (April 27).