In his brief final testament, Pope Francis asked to be buried at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major and said he had offered his suffering for peace in the world.
World News
Analysis: What Pope Francis brought to the church, and what he leaves behind
Pope Francis, history’s first pope from the global south and a maverick who often delighted the world, died April 21 after fighting pulmonary disease for the last few months.
Crowds gather to pray the rosary for repose of pope’s soul
Just as hundreds of people had gathered at the Vatican each night to recite the rosary when Pope Francis was hospitalized, throngs returned to recite the Marian prayer for the repose of his soul after his death.
Pope died of stroke, heart failure, coma, Vatican says
Pope Francis died April 21 after suffering a stroke and heart attack, said the director of Vatican City State’s department of health services. The pope had also gone into a coma.
Precise rules govern what happens in period between popes
Centuries of experience dealing with the death, or occasional resignation, of a pope has left the Catholic Church with thorough instructions detailing who has responsibility for planning the funeral, preparing for the election of a new pope and taking care of essential business in the meantime.
White House, U.S. political leaders react to death of Pope Francis
President Donald Trump, officials in his administration and other U.S. political leaders issued statements expressing condolences for Pope Francis after the pontiff’s death April 21 at age 88.
Pope’s funeral rites, a celebration of hope, to begin late April 21
Pope Francis’ funeral rites, like those for any pope or any Christian, are meant to “reinforce the hope and witness to the faith” that those who have been baptized in Christ “will rise with him to new life.”
U.S. bishops honor Pope Francis’ legacy in hours after his death
Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88, “will long be remembered for his outreach to those on the margins of the Church and of society,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement shared in the first hours after the pope’s death.
Vatican announces canonization of Blessed Acutis is postponed
With the death of Pope Francis, the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, which was scheduled for April 27, has been postponed.
U.S. cardinal announces pope’s death to the world
U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, the “camerlengo” or chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, announced to the world that Pope Francis had died April 21 at the age of 88.
With pastor’s touch, Pope Francis preached mercy, embraced ‘peripheries’
Pope Francis, who died April 21 at the age of 88 gave new energy to millions of Catholics — and caused concern for some — as he transformed the image of the papacy into a pastoral ministry based on personal encounters and strong convictions about mission, poverty, immigration and dialogue.
Americans going to Acutis canonization inspired by relatable teen’s love for Eucharist
The Glamuzinas are among the multitude of Americans planning to attend the canonization of the church’s first “millennial” saint. The canonization Mass, scheduled to be held in St. Peter’s Square, coincides with Divine Mercy Sunday and the 2025 Holy Year’s Jubilee of Teenagers April 25-27.